In the blink of an eye, the scenery of the Magicom Bureau's office replaced Azusa's nostalgic room.
Countless pillars with manastones embedded inside of them had been erected in this stone chamber, appearing to encircle the entire room. An ominous magical circle was engraved on the center of the floor. As I stood inside the circle whilst carrying Azusa, the afterglow of its pale light illuminated my feet. Once the wind had died off, I let him down on the ground. To him, this place must have been quite the curious sight. I watched him look around at his surroundings with great interest and felt relieved. Since this was Azusa, it wasn't that I had thought he would panic or anything like that, but he had accepted this situation more easily than I had expected.
"This is frickin' awesome… Never thought I'd see stuff like this outside of a 'geemu'…"
"Those exaggerated stage settings are similar to here, aren't they."
"Hm… those places sure borrowed a lot, huh?" [1]
My guess was correct, those were the places he was talking about… those phrases he loved to use, I had kept them in my heart. As a bitter smile came over my face, Azusa looked over with a scornful glare. Azusa, though you seem to think of me as a proper knight who had never sullied his hands, over this past year, I did whatever it took to bring you to my side. I wanted to keep him unaware of that side of me as much as possible. Unless he asked me to tell him, I had planned to never speak of it, but it seemed that the time to have this conversation had already come… Just as I had thought, the door to the teleportation room opened with a loud bang. I looked over in surprise to see the figure of one of the magic research staff.
"The teleportation sequence was a success, Garland. You did well!"
Spreading his hands, he rolled up the sleeves of his white robe while walking over. He stopped in front of the magic circle and started to study Azusa, his gaze practically licking him from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. His staring was so detestable that I pushed myself in front of Azusa to protect him. Seeing my behavior, the man watched me with a smirk on his face. "So that's how it is~" he muttered. If this man's position were anything but the chief of the team, I might have chosen to just push past him.
"Hum, so this thing's the person from the other world that you were so stuck on, Garland."
"I would prefer if you would refrain from addressing him as 'this thing'." [2]
"I heard that he's the inhabitant of a world so primitive that it doesn't even have any teleportation technology, but… I get it – his looks are enough for you to have fun with him."
"Please pardon me, but I had arrived in his world late at night. If it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience, may you allow us to be excused?”
"I don't want him break that easily, so I'll let you do that."
"As you say."
I couldn't hold back the scornful laugh that rose within me after I heard the unbelievable words this man, who saw other humans as nothing but animals for experimentation, said. Thanks to his interest having waned, he didn't take offense at my scorn and left the room without turning back.
As the tense atmosphere in the room loosened, I heard the sound of a sigh come from behind me. After I met Azusa's eyes, he smiled wryly and said, "That old guy sure was somethin', huh?" Despite how that man had spewed a bunch of nonsense to ridicule him, Azusa didn't feel any anger at that man's derisive perception of him. From this, I felt the bountifulness of Azusa's heart. In comparison, I felt disgusted with myself for not having immediately defended him in the face of that criticism.
"Hey, it's fine. You don't have to get involved with every person who starts talking s.h.i.+t. It's less troublesome that way."
"…I'm sorry."
"There's nothing you have to be sorry for."
This person was able to perceive every thought that pa.s.sed through my mind. I lowered my head, feeling sorry, and he roughly ruffled my hair. Just like that, this conversation had been settled. Once Azusa himself had said he didn't mind, there was nothing else I could say, so all I could do was follow suit.
"Because of me, you had to go through so much over this past year… how frickin' lame am I…"
Though I had the urge to rub my forehead against the back of his neck, I had to endure it here. His appearance as he was so earnestly embarra.s.sed was so cute. Though, even if my mouth were split open, I wouldn't dare to say that aloud.
Just as we were about to leave the teleportation chamber, I realized that Azusa wasn't wearing any shoes. Of course he wasn't – he had been resting in his room when I suddenly came to take him away in the middle of the night. That said, he wouldn't be able to walk like this; I prepared to carry him once more, but was completely refused.
The day had long since ended, and other than those who were working the night s.h.i.+ft, there wasn't anyone left in the castle. The only people who'd be out and about at this time were likely in bars or brothels. Since the situation was like that, he agreed to let me carry him on my back. First thing tomorrow morning, I'd buy some shoes for Azusa.
"I wanted to ask you this from the start, but how many people know about my situation?"
"Good point… The ones who know are the people from the facility we'd just left, as well as the upper-ranking knights. The people who knew that I'd been gone for a year might also know."
"Ah, I got it. Your report is their only source of information about j.a.pan, so I'll match it.”
"I'm sorry for making you bear my burdens with me…"
"I just don't wanna rock the boat. Don't worry about it."
Then, Azusa yawned widely, breaking up the conversation. The heat and swaying of my body was probably making him drowsy. I told him that it was fine if he slept; though he replied in a sleepy voice that he was fine, after a short while, I heard him breathing softly, fast asleep. I wanted to hurry and let him sleep restfully in bed. Taking care not to wake him, I quickened my walking pace and hurried back home.
When I had sent my report on Nippon, I had falsified information whenever it was convenient.
The existence of manastones couldn't be confirmed in this world, and its people couldn't even recognize them. Therefore, to these other-worlders, teleportation technology was just a theoretical and fantastical theory. They used fire, water, etc. in primitive ways, ensuring them the minimum possible standard of living. Though they more or less had a social system, there did not exist any hierarchy or order in their society. The people of their country were at peace with each other, and they lacked things to fight. However, they had achieved their own unique evolution, and their defensive technology was on par with ours; yet due to their preference for self-isolation, it would be difficult to interfere in their matters.
It was concluded that this world did not pose any risk or need for involvement, and thus, Azusa was recognized as a man who had come from a world of such low standards. The truth was that the technological power of his world far surpa.s.sed our own, and there were many things which they could teach and share with us; it was a world where one could obtain boundless information. I had thought it better if I could personally prevent interference with that world. Azusa seemed to be of the same mindset, so I was relieved that I had chosen not to show off what I had learned.
Every time I had gone through the teleportation tests, I had the following day off to rest because of the possibility of abnormalities cropping up in my body.
Though the Knight Order seemed dissatisfied by my leaving to take arbitrary time off, in the face of an official order from the Magicom Bureau to take my physical condition into consideration, they had no choice but to agree. Though there had been cases where the test subjects broke out into fevers or headaches, the only time such an abnormality had occurred in me was when I had been swallowed up by the magical overflow. Though I usually felt guilty knowing that my subordinates were going to work as normal while I alone rested, I was grateful for my confinement this time.
I laid Azusa on the wide bed I had gotten for the both of us to sleep on. Azusa was still softly sleeping; I dropped a kiss to his forehead and quietly escaped. The first thing I had to do was prepare some shoes for him. Unlike in Nippon, we didn't have a custom of taking off our shoes upon entering a room, so Azusa wouldn't be able to move around as things were. I was more than willing to carry him whenever he wanted to go somewhere, but he would absolutely protest the idea, wouldn't he.
Luckily, I knew the size of his feet. Back in Nippon, there was the time when Azusa was generous enough to lend me his clothing. I had brought up to him that my feet were too large, which led to me finding out his shoe size. I had been surprised by how small the shoes were and had wondered if they belonged to a woman, and Azusa had gotten angry and told me that they were the average men's size in Nippon. Truthfully, I wanted to take my time selecting shoes for him, but I didn't want to let Azusa wake up alone, so I purchased some simple shoes that could easily complement any outfit. I could come back to this store later. On my way home, I quickly purchased some ingredients for making breakfast.
Carrying the shoes in one hand, I once again opened the door to the bedroom. There, I saw Azusa sitting on the bed. The moment he saw my face, he smiled with a sigh of relief. I had made him wake up alone; a piercing feeling of guilt ran through me. To wake up alone in a foreign world, even though he ought to have woken from his sleep after hearing me speak a few words to rouse him, must have made him feel helpless and forlorn… d.a.m.n it, why hadn't I been more considerate to him? As I reflected with my face turned down, I heard the sound of light laughter. I raised my head again and looked at Azusa, and he looked back at me with a gentle smile on his face.
"Why're you looking so downcast, you."
"No, I… because I'd gone out, you were left all alone, Azusa…"
"The heck's with that, am I a kid or something. It's fine, you know."
He made a beckoning motion as if telling me to come over, so in accordance with his orders, I approached the side of the bed. Now, he slapped the bed cover to tell me to sit. I did as I was told and sat, and then I was powerfully hugged from the side. Though his face was buried in my chest, my head couldn't process what was happening, so all I could do was become fl.u.s.tered.
"Hmm~~~~ haaaaaa. Iliaaas, you're so…"
"Azusa…? What…?"
"I've been having an Ilias deficiency, so let me recharge a little."
He said those discontented words while looking up at me with upturned eyes. I couldn't believe my own ears… he was just, too adorable of a person! When I heard him mutter in a m.u.f.fled voice that it helped him relax, the tenderness in my heart overflowed endlessly. I gently carded my fingers through his hair as if petting him, and the way he cuddled closer to me made him seem like a fickle black cat who had been tamed. I endured being hugged with all of my might; after a while, I came to enjoy it. Once Azusa felt at ease, he slowly pulled away. He looked over at me, his eyes sweet and enchanting, and this was the final straw for how much I could put up with.
I called his name, and this time, I was the one who embraced him. As if in natural response, his arms wrapped themselves around my back, making me feel both joy and arousal. I brought my face closer to his; Azusa had an expression that said he couldn't wait any more, so he closed his eyes, releasing an incredible amount of s.e.x appeal. As our lips met, I pecked soft kisses on him, and Azusa enthusiastically returned my kisses. I pushed the tip of my tongue between his lips, and as his mouth slightly opened, I slipped my tongue inside. I searched out and entangled my tongue with Azusa's small one as if keeping it locked with mine. Azusa's arms, which had circled around my back, tightened and gripped my clothing.
"Nn…gh."
Stirred up by Azusa's panted breath, I sucked on his trapped tongue. Azusa was weak to this move, and he became boneless in my grasp. So that he wouldn't slip off, it would be good to wrap his arms around the back of my neck and support his head with one of my hands, I had thought – but his head had stayed in place, fixated against mine as I traced the line of his teeth and licked at his jaw.
"Haa, ngh…!"
Azusa would probably start to run out of breath if I didn't let go of him soon, so I sucked on his tongue one last time before letting go of his lips. Azusa slightly opened his eyes in inquiry, and faced with that state of his, I felt piercing regret: if only he hadn't opened his eyes!
His eyebrows had knit together as if in distress, and the depths of his eyes held a thin layer of tears. His cheeks were dyed red, and as he panted for breath, his small tongue peeked from his open mouth. The saliva that he couldn't swallow s.h.i.+mmered at the corner of his lips. Azusa's appearance was unbelievably obscene as he slowly opened his eyes, and whilst continuing to breathe roughly, he sweetly smiled at me. Just what manner of torture was this…? My body could no longer be held back by reason; before I knew it, I had already pushed Azusa back down onto the bed. His black hair fanned out over the white sheets, and as the morning light shone upon it, his hair seemed to s.h.i.+mmer.
"Azusa…!"
I glided my lips from the base of his throat down to the line of his collarbone. Perhaps it caused a ticklish sensation, for Azusa let slip a giggle.
"Hey, c'mon, stop that."
He rubbed the back of my head with his hand as if petting an animal, but I didn't intend to stop. As I bit and sucked on the nape of his neck, I heard the sound of Azusa taking in a breath as trying to steady himself. Wanting to hear more, I slipped my hand into his s.h.i.+rt, but before I could reach my target, Azusa had blocked me.
"C'mon, I said to stop it. If we keep going like this, we're going to end up spending every day in bed."
"Ngh, I suppose you're, right…"
It was as Azusa said. I had lost to my own l.u.s.t and nearly whiled away an entire precious day… Whenever I'm in front of him, all of my rationale and sense disappears. It was shameful to realize that I was still so immature as a person.
"So? Where did you go when you ditched me and went off on your own in the morning?"
"Ah… I went to purchase shoes and ingredients for breakfast."
"You serious? In that case, thanks. I didn't eat a thing for dinner last night so I'm actually frickin' starving over here."
His innocently laughing appearance as he rose from the bed didn't contain a single speck of the s.e.xiness he'd displayed just a short while ago. I was stunned by how quickly he'd switched moods; I knew that he was originally someone who wasn't easily swayed by s.e.x, but he could even act like this now…Today, I had made plans to go out and purchase daily necessities and clothing for Azusa. Grateful that I had the opportunity to change my plans, I got off the bed and knelt down on one knee. Azusa looked over at me with a perplexed expression as I took his foot and settled it over my bent knee. Having guessed what I was doing, Azusa blushed furiously.
"Wai–hang on! I can put it on myself…!"
"I want to put them on you."
Even if he complained that there wasn't time for this, these were the items which I had painstakingly chosen and purchased for Azusa, so it would be good to yield the privilege of their first use to me. If he truly protested from the bottom of his heart, then I had planned to give up on it, but if there was any possibility of him allowing it, then I wanted to be the one to put these on him. As I looked up at him with these feelings hanging over me, Azusa turned his face away and muttered something in a small voice. Is it not alright? I asked once again, and Azusa covered his mouth with the back of his hand, with only his eyes darting over to look at me.
"Just do as you like…!"
His agreement which came in the form of a shy reprimand filled me with joy, and in good spirits, I was allowed to dress Azusa's feet with my shoes.
[1] Azusa is talking about how this place looks like something out of a video game. To Ilias, Azusa's sentence doesn't fully translate – he basically hears 'This is something out of a ゲーム!'. So Ilias has to guess what he's talking about,,and from having listened to Azusa talk about this stuff before, he correctly a.s.sumes that Azusa is talking about his games' fantasy world visuals. Even though Ilias isn't familiar with games, he tries his hardest to keep up with the subject whenever Azusa talks about them… what a devoted husband (´；ω；`)
[2] The chief researcher uses the p.r.o.noun 'sore' for Azusa, which is the word used to describe objects. It's equivalent to using 'it' when talking about a person.
Translator's Note
I didn't mention this before, but welcome back to Azusa and Ilias's love fest~
It's full of fluff, and we get to see a lot of Ilias's home world. I enjoy the sequel a lot. Many thanks to Taro-sensei for writing such a cute story and healing our hearts!
Also, I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I drew some fanart stickers of Ilias and Azusa! They were originally for LINE, but I decided to make some of them into a free emoji pack on Discord. If you use Discord Nitro, you're welcome to join this server and use the stickers while chatting with your friends. I'm not a chatty person so this server has no purpose other than providing these emojis though…