“...Ah.”

The exclamation slipped out of my mouth as I opened my eyes in Ethan's room after our big night together.

The first thing I noticed was the dull ache in my lower back, radiating not only from between my legs where... it had gone in, but also from my inner thighs and knees. Now that I was aware of it, my chest also felt strangely sore. Though, come to think of it, we hadn’t really focused on that part today.

More than anything, the overwhelming embarrassment was what bothered me the most. Even though it was my first time, I had said things that I never would have uttered in my right mind.

“Are you really going to put this ridiculously sized thing inside me?”

“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.”

“I just wanted to call you...”

“.......”

My face felt like it was on fire.

I couldn't help but replay those absurd words in my head, wondering if I had been out of my mind. This was why people should keep their thoughts to themselves and just focus on moving their bodies mechanically.

“...Still, whatever.”

In any case, the primary goal had been accomplished. Looking back, almost nothing had gone according to plan, but the result was still positive. Thinking about it, most of my plans in this world had gone the same way—unexpected.

In many ways, it felt liberating to finally be free of the burden of purity. It was a moment of shedding the sainthood that had granted me magic but also shackled me with chastity.

Well, by my standards, I still considered myself an 'honorary virgin' since I would never give my heart to anyone but Ethan for the rest of my life. But by any objective measure, the loss of my sainthood was irreversible.

With this, Serista would be the last saint in the world. The balance of power had shifted just as the prophecy foretold.

‘And since Hemwazoshegigwat said he was returning to Earth without touching the children, maybe that would remain true even after the end.’

Unfortunately for Serista, this meant she was destined to remain a saint for the rest of her life. Not that it was my fault—if it weren’t for Hemwazoshegigwat, she wouldn’t even look at another man. Just like I could never picture my future with anyone other than Ethan.

In my case, it wasn’t that I’d been dead set on Ethan from the start—it just sort of happened. The unicorn in me had insisted that my first time could only be with him, and yet here I was, having gone through all sorts of intimate situations with him... having my breasts touched, being seen naked, and doing all those shameful things.

That was the last bit of unicorn pride I had left.

“Oh, I should start cleaning.”

I needed to clean up the mess we’d made. The sheets and comforter looked like a murder scene, stained with blood. I hadn’t realized just how much I had bled, and honestly, it hurt more than I expected.

Next time, I’ll make sure to do things properly. The cunnilingus had done a decent job last time, but if you ask me to go through this again...

“No, no, no.”

What the hell am I thinking about?

The only reason I had sex with Ethan was to lose my virginity and shed my saintly image. It wasn’t to start an endless cycle of physical intimacy with him. Of course, I’d fulfill my promise if he won another duel against Harold or something, but I had no intention of turning this into a regular occurrence.

Sure, I might have felt a bit better toward the end, but that’s a different matter entirely.

I cast a Clean spell over the comforter, the sheets, and the areas where Ethan’s... traces had been left, tidying up the bed after cleaning up and taking care of contraception.

“Speaking of which, where is Ethan?”

How had he disappeared without waking me? According to the clock, only three hours had passed.

I was gathering my clothes from the floor, wondering if he’d gone to the bathhouse, when I heard a familiar sound from outside the window.

“Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!”

“.......”

I looked down through the window of the training center and saw Ethan, wielding a wooden sword, swinging it repeatedly.

It was obvious why he was training with a single sword, even though he usually practiced dual-wielding. It wasn’t really training—it was a distraction.

I was relieved to see him like this. At least I knew I wasn’t the only one whose head was spinning after what had just happened.

I hurriedly put on the clothes I had worn when I entered his room and made my way to the training center. Partly because I had things to discuss with him, but mostly because I realized it was better to be by his side right now.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎ ⁎ ⁎

—Whoop, whoop, whoop!

“Hah! Hah! Hah!”

Ethan Richard Blackwood was unsympathetic.

Two hours ago, he had taken a huge step into manhood, and now, here he was, furiously swinging his sword in an attempt to clear his mind of the thoughts racing through it.

—Whoosh!

“Haaaaah!”

Part of him wanted to focus on Lilith, whose body had been so intimately entwined with his, but the obscene fantasies in his head wouldn’t let him.

He had taken her twice, and yet, his desire for her hadn’t diminished. If anything, it had only grown stronger. He had woken up earlier and spent half an hour fondling her breasts while she slept, unable to help himself.

Realizing that if he stayed in the room any longer, he’d end up ravishing her again, Ethan had hurriedly gotten dressed and left for training.

Wielding a sword was one of the few things that allowed him to steady his thoughts, even from a young age. Moving with two swords always left room for distractions, but focusing on a single blade helped clear his mind.

“I’ve got two hours to tire myself out. Then, I can go back.”

He figured that after exhausting himself, he’d collapse into bed, and his physical fatigue would outweigh his lingering desire.

He had already instructed the staff at the mansion not to disturb him. He told Dietmeier not to allow anyone into his room, no matter what, and had also told Melissa, the maid, not to look for Lilith today.

Both of them had given him strange looks, but he hadn’t bothered to ask why. They likely knew.

“No distractions.”

Ethan pushed those thoughts aside and refocused on swinging his sword.

The fatigue he was seeking would come soon, and he’d be able to return to his room without worrying about losing control around Lilith. He didn’t want her to wake up later and find him missing.

They say women like to cling to a man after their first time, as a way of ensuring he can be trusted. Leaving her alone like that wasn’t exactly a reassuring move.

...Of course, if he’d stayed, he probably wouldn’t have been able to resist teasing her again. But that was a different issue entirely.

‘Another distraction.’

—Whoop, whoop, whoop!

“Haaaah! Haaaah!”

Ethan swung the wooden sword faster, trying to quiet the images of Lilith in his mind.

As much as he wanted to spend the rest of his life thinking only of her, there were many complications to resolve first. Marrying a quasi-baroness from a family with a questionable background would require significant effort.

For now, he needed to shake those thoughts away. He continued swinging his sword, hoping to clear his head.

Finally, after ten thousand swings, the wooden sword slipped from his sweaty grip and clattered to the floor.

—Thud.

‘That’s enough. I’m tired now.’

He figured he was sufficiently exhausted, so even if he returned to his room, his libido wouldn’t overwhelm him. Not that he was sure he could handle seeing Lilith’s half-covered body again, but at least he was mentally prepared for it.

Ethan turned to head back, thinking he could likely navigate the room with his eyes closed if necessary. But his plan was thwarted immediately.

“.......”

“.......”

—Sigh.

“.......”

—Thwack.

Ethan froze as he saw Lilith standing in front of him. He blinked, confused, and quickly bent to pick up his wooden sword.

‘After all that, my mind still isn’t clear.’

The illusion was so vivid he wondered if he’d gone mad. It was as if she were smiling right in front of him.

Once again, despite all his efforts, the vision of Lilith lingered in his mind. He raised his arms, trying to shake off the image, but her smile stayed with him.

The sound of footsteps approaching, her familiar scent—were all illusions, products of his imagination.

Or so he thought.

—Malchahn.

“.......”

The sensation of something soft brushing his back... surely, just an illusion.

“...You were rough with me just a moment ago, and now you’re pretending it’s only been a few hours?”

But her voice, that soft and familiar voice, was no illusion.

“...Lilith?”

“You finally noticed me.”

...His composure shattered.