It was when Isaac briefly went to the dorm to get some medicine. As soon as Isaac left, Rina called Marie, who was sitting across from her.
âMarie.â
âYeah?â
Upon hearing Rinaâs call, Marie looked up, pausing her slow steak-cutting. Her fair skin, reminiscent of snow, had faintly reddened due to Isaacâs words just moments ago. Her hair, white as snow, made the blush even more noticeable, but it was not important to Rina. What mattered to her was the identity of the âmedicineâ Isaac mentioned.
âDo you know what kind of medicine Isaac is taking?â
âWhy do you ask?â
âI thought you might know. Iâve never seen Isaac taking any medicine until now.â
Rina had spent less time with Isaac compared to Marie and Cecily. She was busy with exhibition preparations and devoted herself to studying to achieve good grades at the academy. Now that the exams were over, she had some free time, but she had just learned that Isaac was taking medicine. So she planned to support him and help rectify her past mistakes.
âItâs not a chronic illness or anything, is it?â
âNo, itâs not. Just⊠yeah, itâs really a preventive medicine.â
âA preventive medicine?â
What could it be preventing? And why was Marieâs face getting even redder than before?
Rina had received sexual education with Marie in the palace, but it was purely theoretical. She knew nothing about the secretive atmosphere between men and women or the innuendos. Thatâs why Rina was bewildered, and it was also the reason why Marie couldnât readily explain it. Who could openly say that someone went to get contraceptive pills to have sex?
âIs it expensive? If itâs expensive, then IâŠâ
âNo, itâs not that expensive. Itâs something you can also find in stores, so thereâs no need for you to help.â
âIs it something like a dietary supplement?â
âWellâŠâ
While Marie was contemplating how to make Rina understand, Cecily, who had been quietly observing, smiled and spoke up.
âSo, from now on, Marie will be scolded by Isaac with a bat?â
âA stick?â
Whatâs this strange talk again? Rina looked at Cecily with a puzzled expression, as if asking for an explanation.
However, Cecily only maintained her mischievous expression and kept her gaze fixed on Marie. It was the moment her playfulness kicked in.
âBeing scolded with a bat, what kind of talk is that? Could it be that Isaac hits you?â
âNo, he absolutely doesnât hit me. Itâs justâŠa game. Itâs a game between me and Isaac.â
âA game that requires medicine, and youâre scolded by Isaacâs bat? I just canât understand any of thisâŠâ
Rina stopped mid-sentence. It was because Marieâs face, reddened like a crimson sunset, reminded her of something.
As mentioned before, while Marie had an ability to instinctively assess whether the other person was sincere or lying, Rina had exceptional powers of observation. Having keen powers of observation also meant having the ability to deduce accordingly.
Cecilyâs mischievous remark, Marieâs embarrassment and âIsaac punishing her with a batâ. The game that required âpreventive medicineâ. In the end, it all led to one conclusion.
With everything combined, a single thought floated in Rinaâs mind, as she was in a daze.
â⊠âŠâ
As the conclusion came to mind, Rinaâs face instantly turned red. Interestingly, her face stiffened while gradually becoming flushed.
In a normal situation, she would quickly regain her composure. However, due to the nature of the conversation, even Rina couldnât help but stammer.
Even as an imperial princess, she was still inexperienced when it came to the experiences of men. In the past, she had met a few men for political marriages, but that was the extent of it for her.
As the situation settled, Rina swallowed her saliva and asked Marie with a trembling voice. Marie, with a heavily blushing face, was clutching her chin.
â⊠Marie?â
â⊠Yes?â
âDid⊠did you⊠with Isaac?â
âI did. The thing youâre thinking about.â
âSince when?â
Countless times, Rina had witnessed them going on dates that were as sweet as dripping honey. However, she couldnât have guessed that they had gone so far.
At that moment, Marie took a sip of tea, her throat seemingly dry, and briefly glanced at Cecily instead of Rina. She had uttered unnecessary words, creating an awkward atmosphere.
Whether she said it or not, Cecily was observing the current situation with interest. Her characteristic mischievous expression added to the amusement.
Marie quietly opened her mouth, suppressing the desire to scratch that entertained face.
ââŠafter the exhibition ended.â
âThen from then until nowâŠâ
âWeâve been doing it almost every day. We couldnât do it during exam periods because we were busy. Now weâre going to do it.â
âOh myâŠâ
Rina, now at a loss, covered her mouth and didnât know what to do. Rinaâs reaction, with the âmaskâ suddenly being removed, was completely new and surprising.
Marie also gave a surprised look, but for now, it was important to break the tension in the air. Besides, it seemed that even after Isaac arrived, this atmosphere would continue. So, she started reprimanding Cecily instead.
âCecily, did you really have to say that? And whatâs with the âbatâ?â
âItâs a âbatâ, isnât it? Itâs about the size of a bat, so what else could it be?â
Cecily replied with her hands spread apart at a certain distance. It was a very straightforward expression, typical of her.
And Rina, looking at the length of the âbatâ Cecily expressed, could only be astonished beyond surprise. It was much longer than what she had learned in the palace.
But Marie took it a step further.
âNow itâs even bigger than that.â
âWhat? Is that true?â
âYeah. It seems to have grown along with his height.â
As he grew, the evidence of its lengthening became more apparent, and this time it was Cecilyâs turn to be amazed. Since becoming Isaacâs woman, she had been receiving occasional âadviceâ from Marie.
As a result, she had learned what Isaac liked and what actions he enjoyed, but she was still unable to enter the main stage. The reasons were twofold: Marie still monopolized Isaac, and, above all, the âevil cycleâ was gradually approaching.
To alleviate the cycle of evil, as mentioned before, one must restrain or completely eliminate desires through meditation. Thanks to recent inventions of medicine, the suffering of demons during the cycle of evil has decreased, but Cecily was still waiting for the cycle to come.
Once the cycle of evil arrived, pleasure would precede pain. Marie had been enjoying herself since the first night, thanks to Isaac, but it was true that compatibility varied from person to person.
âUm⊠Cecily?â
âYeah?â
âAre you also⊠by any chance, Cecily?â
Rina asked Cecily cautiously, her face now completely flushed, as if trying to cool it down even slightly, with both hands wrapped around it.
The combination of her puppy-like adorable appearance and embarrassment from erotic stories exuded the charm of a blushing maiden, and her dignity and charisma as a princess seemed to have completely vanished.
Was Rinaâs reaction, unlike her usual self, surprising? Cecily stared at her intently, then smiled mischievously and replied in a teasing tone.
âWell~ did I do it? Or did I not? What does our Rina think?â
âYou, are you going to do it too? Ah, with Isaac?â
âYeah, I think Iâll do it soon.â
âBut, thereâs Marie here. Can we just say those things?â
Rina pointed her finger at Marie and asked. She seemed quite flustered, stuttering her words in an uncharacteristic manner.
On the other hand, Cecily remained composed. As if she had just remembered something, she exclaimed, surprising Rina with a piece of news.
âOh, I forgot to mention. Iâm also dating Isaac.â
âW-What? Th-ThenâŠâ
âYouâre thinking right. Polyamory. As you can see, Iâm a demon, and since Isaac is Xenon. I think that explains it all.â
â⊠âŠâ
It was hard to argue with those words. Moreover, Cecily being the princess of Helium would be a significant political advantage for Isaac.
However, Rinaâs mind was in turmoil due to the explicit words. She hesitated, opening her mouth like a fish, and slowly turned her head toward Marie.
âYeah. By the way, Iâm the main wife, and Cecily has acknowledged that. Right?â
âActually, since youâre not yet married, I think the position of the main wife is still vacant.â
âCome on⊠It wonât work. You can always leave. Break up with Isaac.â
âBut I donât want to~â
Marie and Cecily played innocent pranks on each other, but Rina still couldnât calm her heart. No matter how hard she tried to calm down, all sorts of thoughts and imaginings swirled in her head.
âMarie and Cecily doing things with Isaac and all⊠No, Cecily probably hasnât done anything yet⊠UghâŠâ
She felt her head overheating in real time. And she remembered the width of the gap that Cecily had shown just moments ago, spreading it with both hands.
While Marie and Cecily were whispering to each other, Rina discreetly glanced down. She would never date Isaac, but she was also at an age when she was interested in romance.
She discreetly compared the two after watching their expressions. What she was comparing, you can probably guess. AndâŠ
âIt goes beyond the navel? Is that really possible?â
Once again, she couldnât help but be astonished. Marie, who had accepted everything, was truly remarkable, and Rina once again felt the mystery of the human body.
Rina swallowed her saliva and looked up at Marie. She had a confident expression, as if she had won in the battle of the wits with Cecily.
âUm⊠Marie?â
âYeah?â
âDoes it really⊠go in all the way? Doesnât it hurt?â
Marie blinked her eyes and faced Rina, who asked a question. Her face turned red as if it was burning, and her blue eyes were filled with curiosity.
The image of the Rina she knew had completely disappeared, and there was only a girl who showed interest in the romance. Not a princess, but a cute and lovely girl who suited Marieâs age.
How adorable she looked. Marie discreetly glanced at her and curled up the corners of her mouth.
It made her feel good as if she had found Rinaâs weakness, and she felt like she could use it to her advantage in the future.
âRina.â
âUh, yes?â
âShould I explain everything that happened on the first night, or should I only answer the questions you asked? Itâs your choice.â
âUhâŠâ
When Marie asked in a teasing voice, Rinaâs face turned so hot that steam seemed to rise. But she still seemed to want an answer, as her gaze remained focused on Marie.
It seemed like both options were possible, so Marie remembered the first night she spent with Isaac after the exhibition. Her heart fluttered and she felt tense just thinking about it, but it was a memory that had passed.
Currently, she was just a woman who had opened her eyes to sex, not much different from a maiden. They would take turns taking the lead and indulging in each other until they reached their limits.
âWell, then let me explain how Isaac and I ended up having a night affair. It started with Isaacâs slip of the tongue.â
âA slip of the tongue?â
âYes. Isaac invited me to his bedroom, saying he had something to talk about briefly. He even prepared coffee.â
âT-ThatâŠâ
âExactly. It was probably because he really wanted to talk to me, but I wasnât interested. And on top of that, Cecily said some unnecessary things to me, so I was in a hurry.â
âUnnecessary things?â
When Cecily was mentioned, Rinaâs gaze shifted to the side. Cecily shrugged her shoulders and casually replied as the attention turned towards her.
âI simply said that if you donât do it first, Iâll take the lead. Who would have known she would end up working on it the same day?â
âUhâŠâ
Perhaps Rina was weak when it came to such discussions. She made a distressed sound.
Reason was urging her to stop, but temptation was enticing her to delve deeper.
Despite the differences from the sexual education she received in the palace, her friendâs real-life experiences provided Rina with a new stimulation.
âIsaac caressed my entire body, as if handling delicate artwork. You know how big and beautiful Isaacâs hands are, right? Just imagine those hands running over my bare skin.â
âAnd, and then?â
âAnd thenâŠâ
As the story of Marieâs first night continued, Rina became even more excited. By occasionally hearing her heavy breathing, it was clear that she was completely absorbed in the story.
When they reached a moment that could be considered a highlightâŠ
ââŠgulp.â
Even while swallowing her saliva, she didnât lose her concentration. Marie, in a way that didnât match her noble upbringing, continued with explicit expressions.
Unlike Cecily, who had already heard it several times, Rina listened quietly because it was a story deeply connected to Isaac.
âUntil dawn? Wasnât it tough?â
âWhen I woke up the next day, the sun was already high up in the sky. I donât even know how I managed it back then. Now, even 30 minutes makes me tired.â
âOh, Isaac surprisingly has strong staminaâŠâ
âI heard that he even received knight training when he was young. He couldnât help but be strong.â
âGulp. And then? Was there nothing eventful in the morning?â
âThere was something. It was a certain situationâŠâ
It was a series of surprises. In Rinaâs mind, the image of a weak and delicate Isaac suddenly transformed into that of a âmanâ.
Recently, Marieâs face had brightened, and there was a strange sense of beauty. Could it all be because of her intimate moments with Isaac? Until the end, Rina felt a peculiar emotion from their splendid first night together.
âOur first night ends here. After that, weâve been doing it whenever we have time, so thereâs nothing more to say.â
âThen, would you like to give your impression?â
â⊠âŠâ
Impresion or whatever, Rina was in a situation where she went over her capacity. The more she imagined in her head, the more uncomfortable she felt.
Even just listening to it is this intense, so I canât even fathom what it would be like to actually do it. Although she wasnât dating Isaac, he had already become a âcommon standardâ in her heart.
The man she recently met was only Isaac, and in the past, Jackson had clung to her, but they naturally drifted apart after a group project. Leort was there, but heâs her brother, so she dismissed him immediately.
Knock-knock-knock-
âIâm here. Can I come in?â
While Lina hesitated, Isaac, who went to get the medicine, came back. Upon hearing him, Rina perked up, raising her head.
Eventually, as Isaac opened the door, her gaze turned to a stern place. The part that Marie had emphasized just a moment ago.
However, Isaac opened his mouth with a calm face, completely unaware of that fact.
âFinished eating? Should I pay?â
âYeah. Letâs do that. Shall we go right away?â
âDo you want to do that?â
âItâs been building up for a few days. I canât relieve it on my own.â
If she hadnât heard Marieâs story, Rina wouldnât have been able to understand their conversation. But now, she can.
Rina could anticipate what they would do as soon as she heard their conversation. While the academy had an inn for guests, it wasnât exclusively for them. There were also soundproof rooms for the nobles. So what Isaac and Marie would do thereâŠ
âGulp.â
Rina swallowed the saliva that had been stuck in her mouth once again. Even though it was just an imagination, her heart raced, and she felt tense. She knew it wasnât right, but after hearing the story, she had an urge to secretly witness it.
Perhaps it would be helpful for her own wedding night in the distant future. After all, she was a princess of the Minerva Empire, and marrying a man was a natural course of events.
Of course, that was her rationality speaking, but her instinct was merely driven by sexual curiosity. She was only seventeen, just at the age when she was beginning to awaken to her desires.
Should she uphold her dignity as a princess, or should she act according to her personal desires? It was a moment when Rina found herself immersed in the most significant dilemma of her life, unrelated to public affairs.
âHmm?â
And Cecily, who had been watching her from the side, let out a strange chuckle.