Time continued to pass after that.
Even after that day, Ellie and Lucia kept going to visit Astria.
From the consistently dark expressions they had when they returned, it could only be inferred indirectly that they did not get what they wanted.
Sena…
He spent more time not wearing clothes than wearing them.
‘Everything is difficult when it’s done for the first time.’
It took 21 years for that first time, but it didn’t even take a week for the second time.
The third time took less than half a day, and the next was three hours.
Yes, he did it every day.
No, it seems like he did it three or four times a day.
He felt empty somewhere in his chest, and without feeling someone’s warmth, he felt very anxious.
Sena didn’t even know himself.
He didn’t realize how significant Astria’s presence was, just standing there without saying much.
Even though he mixed bodies with Sylvia, that feeling never went away.
“Sylvia.”
He said while lying in bed, pulling the blanket close.
Sylvia was drying her hair after a bath.
“Yes?”
Even though only three days had passed, Sylvia’s mood had changed drastically.
It’s hard to pinpoint with words, but it was as if she had matured.
Honestly, these days, Sylvia seemed more like a senior than Sena himself, which was a bit troubling.
When he went down to the first floor for meals, people always saw Sena as Sylvia’s younger brother.
“…When is your cycle?”
“Cycle?”
“Magic day.”
“Oh.”
Sylvia stopped drying her hair.
“… Here it’s always irregular because we use our bodies. It’s the same for me.”
“When was the last time?”
‘It’s funny that I’m asking now.’
“One week ago.”
He avoided the fertile period.
Sena turned his back, feeling a bit awkward after asking.
“Are you washing properly?”
The contraception methods of this era were incredibly crude.
In fact, they were so crude that it’s almost embarrassing to call them methods.
In the medieval period, contraception involved making amulets and praying hard or consuming mercury.
‘Are they out of their minds…!’
The problem is that the praying method is said to be quite effective.
After all, it is a world where a real God can communicate.
It’s questionable whether all the prayers of those many girls are actually heard.
Are there any related departments?
…Anyway.
Based on Sena’s knowledge, the best methods were two: either handle it outside or wash properly.
The first method wasn’t used often. Even when he shouted, “Just a moment!” from time to time, Sylvia often didn’t let him go and kept pushing.
So, the only thing he could rely on was the washing method.
Of course, the physical capabilities of the culprits far exceeded that of knights.
But even so, one couldn’t just tell someone to consume mercury.
“You don’t have to worry about getting pregnant.”
“…I’ll pray diligently.”
‘I should at least have a face-to-face consultation.’
It was obvious, but he had no intention of having children.
Especially with so little time left now.
It would be the most irresponsible thing in the world.
“Please focus on something other than praying.”
Sylvia, who had dried her hair completely, climbed onto the bed.
Sylvia lay beside Sena and hugged him.
Their bodies met, and they quickly warmed up.
“Yes, I’ll work hard.”
When Sena gave a small smile, Sylvia opened her eyes halfway and then sighed deeply.
“Not that.”
“Huh? Then what?”
With a gentle touch, Sylvia caressed Sena’s cheek.
“We really need to go find it now. It’s faint, but I can feel it. It’s probably somewhere within this territory.”
This was about the devil worshiper.
Sylvia had not given up on any of it.
In fact, she had been talking about going to find the devil worshiper for the past three days.
“It’s okay. There’s still time.”
Each time, Sena’s response was the same.
Sylvia didn’t know.
She didn’t know how many days had been added since they dealt with the devil worshipers.
Sena had lied as always.
Even though his remaining lifespan was probably only six days, he had lied and said it was thirty.
He didn’t want this fact to be discovered, so he purposely didn’t check his remaining lifespan.
If it wasn’t certain, then saying it was a lie wasn’t a lie.
“I just want to enjoy this time a little longer.”
“…Senior.”
And if the conversation seemed like it was going to drag on, Sena always made the same choice.
“Sylvia.”
He turned around and looked at Sylvia.
And without any hesitation, he kissed her.
‘…What do I want to do?’
Since Astria left, Sena honestly didn’t want to do anything.
Even with only six days left, he was escaping from reality.
It seemed like the first time he had felt this way in his life.
Wanting to give up on everything like this.
‘Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to just enjoy the remaining six days and die.’
Suddenly, he thought of that.
Catching the devil worshiper would only extend his lifespan by three days.
Even if he went back to his hometown, it would take at least two weeks, no matter how fast he traveled.
And no matter how much he struggled, the picture that was drawn was of him suffering and not making it back to his hometown before meeting his end.
In that case.
“No.”
At that moment, Sylvia spoke clearly.
“Huh?”
“How long will you keep running away?”
Sylvia held Sena’s face and looked at him intently.
Sena was a bit taken aback.
“W-What are you talking about…?”
“Every time you talk about your lifespan, you change the subject and kiss me. Do you know it’s been three days now?”
Sena maintained his usual bright smile.
“That’s a misunderstanding. I just like you, Sylvia.”
“I’m not that stupid.”
Sylvia’s eyes were tinged with sadness.
“When we’re together, you’re always thinking about another woman.”
“…”
Sena firmly shut his mouth.
He couldn’t say anything.
The guilt he had been trying to ignore filled his mind.
Suppressing that guilt forcibly, Sena forced a bright smile and spoke again.
“That’s not it. There’s only you for me, Sylvia.”
“Then why?”
Tears fell from Sylvia’s eyes.
“Why do you look like you’re going to disappear any moment?”
Sena’s smile gradually faded.
Unconsciously, he touched his own face.
Had he been making such an expression?
He needed to be more careful.
Sylvia was right.
In his distress, he had told lies to find a little comfort.
But he could never make hurtful lies like this without any resolution.
Sena had his own resolve.
“I read in a book once. If you tell the same lie every day, it becomes reality.”
Fortunately, he hadn’t told an outrageous lie.
Whether one likes or dislikes someone is ultimately a matter of personal choice, isn’t it?
Sena had decided to like Sylvia.
Astria had left in disappointment.
And with Chloe, it was already too late.
Sylvia was now everything to Sena.
He wanted to give her as much as possible, everything he could, until the end.
Every tiny emotion, even a single strand of hair.
“…But that person won’t know. That you couldn’t find it on the first try when you first started.”
“There was a process to getting this good. Honestly, I’ve been feeling a bit proud lately.”
“So, I’m enough now. So, so.”
Therefore, he shouldn’t apologize to Sylvia here.
Now was the time to keep up the lies he had been telling all along.
“…Let’s stop now. Let’s go to the place where you belong. To the side of that person you like.”
“Sylvia.”
Sylvia was sobbing in Sena’s arms.
Sena gently stroked her head and whispered.
“Would you be my girlfriend?”
“…Huh?”
Sylvia opened her eyes wide and looked up.
Wiping her tear-streaked face, Sena gave a gentle smile.
“Well, we do this every day, so it would be strange if we weren’t officially together.”
“…But.”
Sena quickly covered Sylvia’s mouth.
He didn’t need to hear the next words.
She would probably say, “But you don’t really like me, do you?”
He didn’t want Sylvia to say something like that.
Instead, Sena provided a clear answer.
This was sincere, without a hint of falsehood.
“I’ll try my best. In many ways.”
“…”
Sylvia’s pupils were trembling slightly.
Her tears had long since stopped.
She slowly, very slowly, lifted her eyes.
Sena’s hair was calm.
“Are you sincere…?”
“It’s hard right now, but I’ll try to truly like you, Sylvia, someday.”
Sylvia’s emotions were like a torrent of water.
She was blocking them with a heavy stone to control her feelings.
To prevent even a drop from spilling on the person she liked.
But that heavy stone was removed.
By the hand of the person she wanted to protect.
Sylvia couldn’t hold back her feelings.
After all, this bundle of fur was genuinely enticing a person.
No one in the world could withstand it.
“Shall we finish what we were doing?”
Sylvia, as if drawn by something, kissed Sena.
It was probably an irresistible force.
Late at night.
Sena got up.
He touched his forehead as it throbbed slightly.
When Sena looked to the side, Sylvia was sound asleep.
‘This is odd. My head hurts a bit, but my body feels light. Not like usual. After last night…’
Suddenly, the events of the previous night came rushing back, and his face flushed with heat.
He had almost no recollection of the latter part of the night.
If someone asked what had happened, he would probably be unable to answer.
He fervently hoped that Ellie and Lucia hadn’t heard anything.
‘…Maybe I should visit after a long time.’
Perhaps due to his improved physical condition, Sena felt this urge.
With sleepy eyes, he slowly got up and headed to the window.
The moonlight was sufficiently bright, so reading the numbers above his head was not difficult.
Sena’s drowsy eyes widened in surprise.
“Huh?”
[38]
His lifespan had increased.
And quite significantly.
**
Morning arrived.
Sylvia blushed when she saw Sena’s face and quickly changed her clothes.
“Good morning.”
Sena greeted cheerfully and recalled the surprising fact he had discovered last night.
An increase in lifespan meant one thing.
This act was something that Justitia did not want.
‘It’s an action that earns the displeasure of God.’
Sena looked at himself in the mirror.
His appearance hadn’t changed.
…But even to himself, he looked somewhat exhausted.
Would it be correct to say he had become corrupted?
‘I suppose Justitia must be very disappointed.’
At this rate, he might end up in hell rather than the celestial realm after death.
‘Not that it matters too much.’
After all, hell is just another place where people live, so it might not be too bad?
“I’ll accept your proposal from last night.”
Sena turned his head slightly.
“Huh? After pushing me so hard, you’re saying this now? I’ll report it to the guards if you keep this up.”
“Even if you say that.”
Sylvia pouted as she put on her socks.
‘Good. She’s back to the usual Sylvia.”
As Sena smiled warmly, Sylvia looked at him with dissatisfaction.
“…Just for now. I’m a knight, so I need to take responsibility for my actions. But if you ever like someone else, let me know anytime. I’ll accept it.”
“Here we go again.”
“Senior.”
“Alright. I’ll go downstairs first, so hurry up.”
Sena left the room with a quick step.
For the first time since that day, Sylvia seemed to be in a somewhat better mood.
After being lost in thought for a while, Sylvia quietly stated.
“But if you cheat on me, I won’t forgive you.”
She timidly made her own assertion.
“…For now, at least, you’re mine.”
