With only one room left, we found ourselves in quite the dilemma…
In the end, we reached the conclusion that we had no choice.
The storm outside continued to rage, and both of us were exhausted.
No matter how hard we thought, there seemed to be no way to avoid sharing a room.
Moreover, we were both still a bit wet, and without any change of clothes, we had no choice but to take the key and enter the only remaining room.
So, we entered the guest room, feeling a bit awkward.
Inside, there was a small stove on one side, and the room was cozy, smaller than the pub where we had been, making it feel much warmer.
As we felt our bodies warming up…
Our gazes automatically turned toward the spacious bed on one side.
“At least the room and bed are quite spacious, so that’s a relief.”
“Y-Yes, it seems like sharing a bed won’t be a problem…”
With a flustered expression, Cazerose spoke hesitantly.
Seeing her visibly nervous made me feel strangely uneasy as well.
‘Still, the thought of a young man and woman sharing a room and bed… Hmm, it definitely feels a bit dangerous…’
Although we had shared a carriage ride just the two of us to get here, honestly, we were in quite a hasty situation, almost like fugitives.
Moreover, we had been so tangled up by the storm that swept through midway that there was hardly any time to consider such feelings.
However… being here alone in a room with her, both of us in soaked clothes, made me finally start feeling that strange atmosphere I hadn’t recognized before.
Cazerose’s attire, still damp and clinging to her skin despite being a modest black cleric outfit, conveyed an unexpected allure.
With the fabric sticking to her skin due to the wetness, I could unintentionally discern her figure more clearly than usual.
A modest chest that left something to be desired… But a slender waist without an ounce of flab, and those surprisingly sturdy hips for her age.
And perhaps due to the aftermath of the rain, her cheeks were slightly flushed and her lips glistened with moisture.
I had known she was quite a beauty, but seeing her up close in this state, her beauty became even more pronounced.
‘Seeing her like this, she feels less like a pristine cleric and more like a noble lady or princess… Ugh, but this situation is definitely not good…’
Once again, I was a young man full of vigor, with a body and mind firmly in my twenties, even younger in body.
In front of me, a stunning woman was here, vulnerable and wet, igniting various emotions within me.
Just as I was beginning to feel slightly excited…
“Uh… huh…?”
In the next moment, Cazerose suddenly started to undo her buttons.
Feeling my heart racing even more with her unexpected actions…
She removed her drenched clothes, leaving only her thin undergarments.
Then… she looked at me with a calm demeanor and said,
“Mr. Santana, you should take off your clothes too.”
“What? W-Why are you suddenly…?”
Cazerose dropped such an unthinkable line.
Suddenly, I felt my heart pounding fiercely, and I realized I was unconsciously tightening down there.
‘W-What? No way… I mean, I might be a castaway, but Cazerose is still a paladin. She wouldn’t seduce me like this… Or would she? But then again, considering she has left the church, it might not be entirely impossible… Ugh…’
While I desperately struggled to rationalize this bewildering situation…
“Hurry and take it off. Mr. Santana, your clothes need drying too.”
“…Huh?”
With that, Cazerose hung her wet outer clothing next to the stove.
Then I realized what she meant by asking me to take off my clothes.
It was evident that if I slept in my soaked coat, I was bound to catch a cold.
Plus, since we planned to leave at first light if the weather improved, drying my outerwear was just common sense.
‘Sigh… What was I thinking…’
Feeling a strange mix of relief and disappointment, I also took off my clothes and hung them by Cazerose’s.
Now dressed in a thin shirt and shorts that felt not quite like underwear, I sat on the bed beside Cazerose.
Seeing her in a lighter outfit made my heart race again.
But despite being tempted by such desires, I had no intention of touching the lovely woman sitting next to me.
Although, according to this world’s standards, she was of marrying age, from a modern standpoint, she was still quite young.
Moreover, she was the one who had offered me her hand when everyone else had turned away and willingly sacrificed everything to accompany me here.
Betraying the trust and kindness of someone like her was something I simply couldn’t accept.
Just then, breaking the awkward silence, Cazerose spoke calmly, “So… how much further do we have to go?”
In response, I answered her to the best of my knowledge.
“I’m not exactly sure, but I believe it won’t be much longer. If we’re lucky, we should arrive by tomorrow morning, or at least by the afternoon.”
“Tomorrow, huh… Speaking of which, you mentioned you have an acquaintance in Benetsa? Who is that person?”
“His name is Shylock, a merchant. Though he’s of Jewish descent, he’s quite a respectable man.”
“Is that so? I’ve heard that there are many talented merchants among the Jews.”
Cazerose nodded, showing no signs of prejudice in her response.
Seeing her yawn, I started feeling a sense of relief.
‘Indeed… So she’s not one to discriminate or hold prejudices, even as a paladin…’
Generally, the clergy and faithful of this world tended to shun Jews, even if they lived in the same region.
Even dwelling in the same vicinity wouldn’t stop their stubborn adherence to heretical beliefs, leading to all sorts of discrimination and jealousy.
From that perspective, Shylock, a merchant who operated confidently in Benetsa, a place under the church’s strong influence, must be an extraordinary person.
Moreover, I had come to regard him as a truly admirable person, being someone who, unlike most, held no biases in my eyes.
He was also someone we had to meet to gain the means of transportation and assistance for our journey eastward.
‘First, I should ask if traveling by sea would be faster or if we should stick to land. Additionally, I need more detailed information on the so-called heretical nations we’re heading to…’
Having only heard about them in the background before, I currently had no extensive information on that front.
Just as I was contemplating what would happen after meeting Shylock…
“…?”
Suddenly, I felt a warm sensation.
It was then that I discovered Cazerose had fallen asleep, resting her head on my shoulder.
She must have been equally exhausted, making it a completely natural occurrence.
However… I started feeling those forgotten turmoil stir up in me again, and I desperately needed to overcome it.
‘Just think pure thoughts… Pure thoughts…’
Stepping carefully on this metaphorical knife’s edge, I tried my best to manage my emotions while gently adjusting Cazerose’s body.
Her warm, soft body emitted a subtle scent that made my heart race like a ferris wheel.
Fighting against this undeniable allure with all my strength.
In a tremendous effort, I finally placed her properly on the bed and covered her with a blanket.
Of course, even after managing to resist temptation and finish my task, it took considerable time and effort for me to settle down in a corner of the bed and fall asleep.
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