Chapter 241: Lucia (4)

Chapter 241: Lucia (4)

Kyrie’s life was different from Lucia Prient’s.

It couldn’t be otherwise.

She spent most of her life on the battlefield, where death was a constant companion.

Born and raised in a harsh, uncivilized environment teeming with monsters, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she lived her whole life in battle-like conditions.

Kyrie’s life was that intense.

She always had to stay alert, never knowing when an enemy might attack. Even when she was called back to the rear to celebrate her achievements, she was constantly summoned to victory parades and celebration parties, leaving no time to rest.

She was worked to death, literally, only to meet a tragic end.

In contrast, what about Lucia Prient’s life?

Although she had her share of life-and-death struggles, it didn’t erase her life as a noble young lady.

She didn’t become a social star among the high society ladies, but she did form connections with other noble ladies, sharing snacks and chatting. And she didn’t miss the chance to extend her education, which was a regret from her previous life.

...She truly lived a life that could be envied, one she had longed for in her previous life.

However, this didn’t mean her experiences from her previous life were erased.

Thanks to Kyrie’s life, Lucia didn’t easily get scared by ordinary things.

She didn’t tremble or feel fear from trivial threats.

“Hold, you must not let go of my hand.”

However, the present Lucia was trembling, unable to even meet her gaze.

It wasn’t from fear or terror but from pure embarrassment at facing a half-naked man.

Shiron, who chuckled, held Lucia’s hand as she splashed in the water.

“Don’t you trust me? I won’t let go, so don’t worry and just lean forward.”

The half-naked man was Shiron, whom she had started to see as a man not too long ago.

The cool seawater soaked his firm body, and his wet hair clung to his face, exuding a decadent atmosphere.

Ever since she confessed her feelings to him again, Lucia found it hard to look at Shiron’s face properly.

Moreover, they were at a beach resort, a place for lovers to splash water on each other, not for family or friends to visit.

“Kyah! Oppa, stop!”

“Mister, you’re so naughty!”

...Even the sounds she vaguely heard were unbearably embarrassing.

But when she dunked her face in the water, she became aware of what was right in front of her.

Cling-!

The presence was clearly visible through the wet pants.

She couldn’t help but close her eyes tightly, thinking she had never been this close to a man’s groin.

Shiron’s groin was right in front of her face in the seawater...

What does this mean?

Combining both her past and present lives, it meant that Lucia, who had never even experienced a man’s lips, now had her face touching a man’s... well, you know.

Even if it wasn’t directly touching.

This was...

Like a debauched woman driven mad by lust, using her entire face to greet a man’s...

‘Isn’t this too fast?’

Cling-!

Even while plunging her face into the cold seawater, Lucia couldn’t cool her flushed face.

Meanwhile, the person holding her hand...

“Sigh.”

Splash, splash.

Shiron, who was hit by the water, looked down. Despite his requests to see her swimsuit, Lucia was still wearing her leather jacket.

He could guess what kind of swimsuit she wore underneath the white thong that peeked out, but he couldn’t understand why she was still wrapped up like this.

‘You suddenly want to learn to swim? You just came back from the bottom of the sea the day before yesterday, at least make your lies believable.’

He thought she wanted to live her life to the fullest to make up for her unfulfilled desires as a hero, but now, hearing her suggestion, his thoughts faded away.

‘Still, isn’t this too much?’

After a long pause, Shiron spoke with a serious face.

“It’s funny for me to say this, given that I haven’t acted like an older brother, but this isn’t right.”

“...What do you mean?”

“If you’re going to date, shouldn’t you form a... healthier relationship?”

“A healthier... relationship?”

“No matter how much we’re half-siblings, we still share the same father...”

“Wait.”

Lucia’s face turned pale. She realized that something had gone terribly wrong.

“Did I not mention it? We’re not actual siblings.”

“...”

Plop, plop...

Raindrops began to fall on the sandy beach. Shiron’s hair got wetter, and droplets formed on his chin.

“This isn’t the place to talk about this.”

This time, Shiron grabbed Lucia’s hand roughly, unlike before. Lucia couldn’t say a word as the situation took a turn completely different from what she had hoped for.

Crash!

By the time they reached the hotel, the rain had intensified. Shiron opened the door, handing a towel to Lucia that he got from the lobby.

“Take a shower. You’ll catch a cold.”

“...Okay.”

The atmosphere was tense. Realizing her plan had failed, Lucia entered the bathroom weakly and took off her swimsuit.

Drip, drop...

The swimsuit she had chosen with care came undone, revealing a body that was unimpressive compared to her past life.

Instead of a well-formed tall body, she had a less developed physique, which only highlighted her femininity.

Lucia pulled the lever and let the cold water hit her. Though it was a luxury hotel with hot water always available, she treated this cold shower as a self-imposed punishment.

She made a mistake.

She was too hasty.

She internally justified that she was too busy to take care of him since Kiara and Seira found out her identity, but reality was harsh.

Shiron’s rain-soaked face looked dark to anyone, and he seemed on the verge of demanding why she hadn’t told him this earlier.

Idiot. Fool. Total fool.

Feelings of self-loathing, embarrassment, regret, and guilt swirled within Lucia’s heart.

The shower ended quickly.

Lucia dried herself with a snap of her fingers, dressed in the neatly folded clothes, and tightened her belt.

Before leaving, she wiped her teary eyes and faced Shiron, who was sitting on the bed.

“You changed out of your swimsuit.”

Shiron’s voice was heavy. He patted the spot next to him, signaling Lucia to sit.

“Sorry.”

Lucia mumbled in a weak voice.

“Who told you?”

Shiron spoke without a hint of a smile. His playful demeanor from earlier seemed like a lie, and he now appeared much more mature than Lucia.

“Father.”

“Really?”

“Yes, when I went to the Dawn Castle recently.”

Shiron sighed, rubbing his forehead at Lucia’s confession.

“Don’t call him ‘father.’ It’s disgusting.”

He spat out the words irritably and suddenly reached out with a large hand. Lucia shut her eyes tightly, expecting a smack, but the sensation that followed made her open her eyes wide.

“Ah, wh-what?”

The unfamiliar feeling of a kiss, different from any she had known, with a probing tongue, made Lucia truly feel like an idiot.