Chapter 44: The Crooked One

"N-nothing, knightess. Maybe it was just a gust of wind."

Princess lied, her voice shaky with nerves.

Kaisen couldn't help but be amazed at her quick thinking.

He grinned mischievously once more and reached out, grabbing a handful of her ass cheek.

To his surprise, she seemed prepared this time, reacting with a swift swat and grabbing his hand, pulling it away again.

Despite her response, Kaisen couldn't shake the thrill of the forbidden as he withdrew his hand, a smirk playing on his lips.

[Quick Time Event completed successfully]

[Reward: 30 lust points]

[Lust points: 52/100]

He couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as his lust points increased once more.

And to top it off, it seemed she was aroused too.

He could feel her ass cheek twitching under his touch, a subtle yet unmistakable sign of her arousal.

'Ha, ha...lets see how much can I push her.'

"Wind? Inside the room? With guests around, I trust the wind more than them."

"B-but they're Mother's guests! They looked like a bunch of poor adventurers."

Princess Esmeralda insisted, her voice strained as she tried to pry his hand away from her ass cheeks.

Kaisen couldn't help but notice her feeble attempts.

'This girl is so weak. It's like there's no power inside her.'

He couldn't resist the temptation any longer.

With a sense of ownership, Kaisen began to playfully grab and squeeze her ass cheeks as if they were his to do with as he pleased.

Esmeralda's struggles only fueled his amusement, and he couldn't help but snicker at the sight of her futile attempts to resist his advances.

It was a game to him, and he was thoroughly enjoying every moment of it.

"I-I'm fine, knightess. P-please go back."

But the knightess remained unmoved, her eyes scanning every small spot near the sofa with unwavering determination.

"It's just standard protocol, princess. It's my duty to protect you. I can't afford to fail you again."

[Quick Time Event: Caress Esmeralda, the Crooked's pussy.]

[Reward: 20 lust points]

'Fuck yeah!'

Princess shot him a furious glance and cursed him under her breath, but instead of backing down, Kaisen simply grinned mischievously.

With a swift movement, he slid his hand and brushed against her puffy pussy.

"Ahh!"

Esmeralda reassured, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Her smile, though pure, seemed strained to Kaisen, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something.

'A moment ago? Did I hurt her? Damn it! Now I feel terrible. She seems like such a kind woman. What have I done to her?'

Unlike Alice or the Queen, this girl felt so innocent and vulnerable.

Hurting someone like her made his heart ache.

It reminded him of the villains in movies, the ones who would hurt the hero because they could handle it, but they'd leave the hero's sweet, innocent love interest alone because she was just an ordinary, innocent soul.

'Dammit! I feel so bad--"

Kaisen's eyes involuntarily drifted upwards as Esmeralda sat down, his mind momentarily filled with inappropriate thoughts.

'Dammit. Bad thinking. Bad thinking. Wait, if I don't touch her, won't she think it's because I found out about her legs? Like even a pervert is pitying her condition.'

"Are you sure princess. I can--"

"No need. Thank you Sable. Good night."

Esmeralda firmly told the knightess to leave, and Kaisen felt the sweat bead on his forehead as he realized the weight of the situation.

Finally, he resolved to complete the quest, but with a sense of unease gnawing at him.

Gently, he reached out and grabbed her legs, feeling her shudder slightly under his touch.

Surprisingly, she didn't swat his hand away this time. However, as he felt the tension in the room, he hesitated.

He wanted to complete the quest and just get out of there, but a sense of guilt washed over him.

He didn't want to take advantage of a vulnerable girl in this state.

'Polar opposite of her mother. Wow. Simply wow.'

His hand hesitantly traveled to her right leg, the crooked one, and he began to caress it gently, offering a soothing massage.

"Princess?"

Sable asked, her confusion evident in her voice.

"J-just leave me alone for a moment, Sable. I don't want you to check on me for every little thing."

Esmeralda replied, her voice strained with emotion.

"Thats-"

"Shut up and get out!"

He continued to gently knead her calf, his fingers digging deep into her skin but careful not to hurt her.

"As you wish, princess. Good night."

Sable responded, bowing respectfully before leaving the room.

Kaisen sighed in relief as the door closed behind her.

Esmeralda also breathed a sigh of relief, her tension easing slightly as she looked at the intruder who was now massaging her leg.

"Feeling bad for the poor, crooked girl, huh?"

She asked him, her eyes flashing with the fierceness of a wounded lioness, as if daring him to deny it.