Volume 2 Chapter 38: Sweet Temptation

“That’s just cruel. I worked up the courage to share my feelings with you, and that’s your answer?”

Elle pouted like a child, puffing out her cheeks in a way I’d never expect from her usual composed, mature self. Then, she wrapped her arms around my waist, hugging me close.

Seeing her like this, I thought perhaps my previous response had been a bit inappropriate—

“But somehow, coming from you, I don’t mind it,” she said, pressing her cheek against me affectionately.

“Did you actually hit your head?”

Or so I thought I should feel.

I found myself asking that once again, as Elle rubbed her face against me lovingly.

Honestly, I couldn’t understand it. I mean, there wasn’t a single reason I could think of why someone like her would be interested in me. If anything, I had plenty of reasons to be disliked. No matter how hard I searched my memories, I couldn’t find a reason for Elle to have this much affection toward me.

“No, I’m perfectly sane. Completely.”

Then the one who hit their head must be me. I must have actually lost the fight against Mina and passed out after getting knocked unconscious, dreaming all of this.

“This isn’t a dream, nor a hallucination. It’s reality. I’m truly in love with you, Noil.”

Did she have some kind of mind-reading ability? She seemed to know my exact thoughts.

And apparently, this was indeed reality.

So then… does that mean…?

Did Elle actually, seriously confess to me? This isn’t some kind of prank?

“Uh, wh-why…? What exactly do you see in me…?”

I held her by the shoulders and gently pushed her away, asking the most reasonable question I could think of. My mind was in a fog, but I had to ask her this.

Reluctantly letting go of me, Elle looked up at me with a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

“…Will you promise not to laugh?”

“…Yeah.”

Elle’s anxious question made me nod.

I was genuinely curious as to why she’d come to… like someone like me, and I couldn’t laugh at someone as serious as she was right now.

No matter how absurd her answer might be, I knew I had to respond sincerely. It was only proper.

“It’s your face.”

Was this supposed to be funny?

As I processed Elle’s shy, blushing answer, I couldn’t help but ask myself that.

Because that’s just ridiculous. I have a perfectly ordinary face. There’s nothing particularly special about my looks.

At least, not the kind of face someone as flawless as Elle would choose. It didn’t make any sense.

“You’re joking, right…?”

So the words slipped out of my mouth. I really wanted them to be true.

But Elle shook her head firmly and wrapped her arms around me again.

“It’s not a joke. I fell for your face. But not just your face—your voice, your build, your skin, your hands, your feet, your hair, your neck, your nails, your bones, every single strand of peach fuzz… Noil, everything about you is exactly my type. When I first saw you, I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. I instantly knew it was love at first sight.”

Are you sure you didn’t actually get struck by lightning? Really, think back carefully. I was a total mess back then, you know?

It was sunny that day, but maybe you were the only one who got hit by lightning, Elle.

“But please, don’t misunderstand. I’m not the type to judge people based solely on appearances. I’d hate for you to think that about me. It’s just that… well, you’re simply too captivating.”

Elle gave me a sultry smile that made my skin crawl, so I mustered all my strength and made a ridiculous face, hoping it would snap her out of it.

Sorry, Elle, but I’m pulling out my ultimate secret technique: The Love-Killer Blizzard Face. This should bring her back to reality.

But, to my dismay, Elle looked away with flushed cheeks after seeing my expression. That was… not the reaction I expected. Usually, people would be gagging at this point.

“…Please don’t tempt me like that.”

What…? The world truly is a strange place.

Elle’s whisper brought me back to my normal expression in surprise.

“Noil, you… you always make my heart tremble like that.”

Sure, I intended to make you tremble, but in a more disgusted way.

“Seven years ago, even when you thanked me, do you have any idea how much self-restraint I had to muster? Back then, I nearly lost my mind wanting to have you all to myself.”

Elle slid her hand across my chest, whispering in my ear. Her breath brushed against me, and a tingling sensation crawled over my body, steeped in the seductive atmosphere she exuded.

Something… felt off.

If I were truly against this, I should be pulling away from Elle and leaving by force if necessary. No offense to her, but things were moving way too fast. This was the kind of issue we should discuss calmly, arriving at a clear decision together. And yet, my body wouldn’t move.

No, more than that—I didn’t want to move. A part of me felt an overwhelming urge to reach out to Elle, who was so close by.

It was likely some primal instinct, a man’s reaction to her alluring presence.

But why? My unbreakable sense of reason should be working round the clock, 24/7. Elle might be exceptionally beautiful, but I wasn’t the type to make rash decisions without knowing a person well. The potential consequences alone were terrifying.

I was a cautious person by nature, so why was I suddenly craving this closeness with her…?

At that moment, I finally realized what felt wrong, and a shiver of dread coursed through me.

The sweet scent permeating this room—

“Every day since then, Noil, I’ve been watching you. For seven years, without fail.”

“E-every day…?”

Elle let out a soft, sultry laugh near my ear, sending waves of heat through my body that I couldn’t suppress. My mind felt foggy, and my heartbeat roared in my ears.

“Spirits exist everywhere, invisible to ordinary people unless they choose to show themselves. I am friends with such spirits.”

So… did she mean she’d been watching me through these spirits? Observing me this whole time? To what extent…?

“All of it.”

“…”

Her voice, dripping with allure, seemed to read my mind, and I swallowed nervously.

Normally, I would be horrified at this invasion of privacy, screaming, “You pervert!” and bolting from the room. But right now, I barely had enough composure left to keep myself together.

I was scared, without a doubt. If Elle’s behavior was genuine, it bordered on madness. But each breath she let out against my ear, each teasing movement of her hand on my chest, brought waves of pleasure that threatened to drown me.

“That slime incident the other day was impressive.”

“…”

“But you’ve attracted yet another woman to your side, haven’t you?”

The slightly petulant tone in her voice sent a prickling sensation through my brain.

Elle continued, tracing her fingers over my chest.

“I’ve always wondered why it couldn’t be me standing by your side. Fiona, Milis, Noel… I was the first to meet you, after all. How did it come to this…? But you know, I’ve held back. I was waiting for you to reach out to me, anticipating that moment with excitement.”

“I…”

“You probably thought I was just being polite, didn’t you, Noil? I know how you think.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I admit, it hurt that you didn’t notice I was in the capital, even though I’d been trying to catch your attention.”

“…Catch my attention…?”

I had no memory of her trying to reach out to me. In these past three years, I never once felt Elle’s presence around me. Or perhaps… she had indeed appeared near me without my realizing?

“It was through Let. I hoped you’d notice me through him.”

“Let…?”

Now that I think of it, Let did often talk about the “Spirit of the Wind.” I’d brushed it off, not particularly interested… So, was Let’s proximity to me just part of her plan? That realization alone was enough to bring some clarity back to my muddled thoughts.

I resisted her temptation, putting some distance between us and casting her a slightly accusatory look.

Rough though my actions might have been, I wasn’t to blame.

“Oh, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding. I never told Let anything directly. I just knew he’d naturally become friends with you. The reason I accepted him as part of ‘Spirit of the Wind’ was, of course, because of his skill and character, but I did have a personal interest as well.”

Despite my attempts to pull away, Elle showed no sign of stopping. This time, I couldn’t resist her advances as she gently pushed me onto the bed.

“I’ve waited… for so, so, so, so, so long… but I can’t hold back any longer.”

“Mmh…!”

Elle straddled me and pressed her lips against mine.

The hot, sweet sensation left me in a daze as her tongue slipped into my mouth, and I found myself yielding without resistance.

Our mingling breaths, the entwining of our tongues, and the taste of her lips… I wanted nothing more than to stay in this blissful moment forever. I wanted to indulge in Elle and savor every bit of her.

But just as I moved to wrap my arms around her, something in my peripheral vision brought a wave of irritation.

The Noil collectible doll was smiling with that annoyingly cheerful expression, and the sight yanked my mind back from the brink.

Stupid collectible doll—I still want to punch it.

“Ugh…!”

“Mmh…? What’s wrong?”

Gathering my remaining strength, I pushed Elle back. She looked down at me, still straddling me, with an enraptured expression.

Mustering every last bit of my will, I blurted out, “Doing things like this! Uh, that… more! You know, uh, we should…!”

I had no idea what I was saying.

“I would have liked to take things slow as well. But, Noil, didn’t you kiss Milis?”

“…”

I had no words.

Elle shrugged off her jacket, revealing a form-fitting black undershirt that outlined her curves. What little restraint I’d regained was rapidly slipping away.

“W-well, you know… character matters more, right? It’s all about what’s on the inside…”

“It’s fine. I told you, I’ve been watching you for seven years. After all that time, I’ve come to love everything about you.”

This is bad. At this rate, I’m definitely going to cross a line. But the sweet fragrance filling the room and Elle’s intoxicating allure were stripping away what little sanity I had left. Even that accursed doll was losing its effect.

With her jacket off, Elle leaned over me, her soft body pressing against mine. Her hand slipped under my shirt, stroking my skin directly.

Then she leaned down and licked the sweat from my face.

“…”

“Mmm… Just as I thought. Delicious… I’ve been wanting to taste you forever…”

Looking at me, Elle’s face melted into a blissful smile.

“I’m so happy, Noil.”

And there I was, covering my face with my hands, utterly defeated.