“Uhm…”
The sweet sound of birds chirping woke me up from my sleep.
As I got up in a foggy daze, warm sunlight wrapped around me, unlike the dark days of the past.
It was surely because my mood had changed significantly.
And that change was all because of Athena.
I thought everyone here looked at me with pity and turned away, but that wasn’t the case.
There was only Athena, who said she would support me.
Grrr…
Thanks to her, my loneliness and anxiety eased a bit, and my stomach, which had refused food for days, began to function normally again.
“…I’m hungry.”
No surprise there.
I could see I had lost weight in less than a week due to not eating properly.
If I go to the dining room now, I should be able to eat something delicious right away.
But I didn’t want to do that.
Looking around, I saw a quiet room.
‘I want to eat with Athena…’
I didn’t want to eat alone.
I was already sick of the loneliness.
The meals I had eaten alone over the past few days were just activities to fill a starving belly.
And even that hadn’t gone well…
I wanted a warm meal filled with the bonds of humans.
For that, I needed Athena by my side.
‘Should I wait a little…?’
She had definitely said she would come back yesterday.
Looking at the clock in the room, it was now 8:30 AM.
I thought it was about time she would wake up.
She should be coming to find me soon.
With that thought, I calmed my stomach, which was begging for food, and snuggled back under the covers.
Waiting for her to arrive.
Grrr…
“…..”
My stomach, which was desperate for food, screamed at me.
I looked at the clock.
10 AM.
A time when any normal person would be up and about.
But unkindly, she hadn’t come to see me.
“You said you would come…”
Could she have eaten breakfast without me?
While someone like me was waiting here.
No, there must be a reason.
She had definitely said she would care for me with love.
There must be some circumstances keeping her away.
I threw off the covers and got out of bed.
If she wasn’t coming to me, then I would go find her.
I kicked the door open and went to look for her office.
“…Not here…”
But her office was empty.
Could she still be in her room?
That would be a problem.
I didn’t memorize many places in this mansion.
I certainly wouldn’t know where her room was since I had never visited.
Ultimately, I would need to ask someone for help.
But I didn’t want to rely on someone else’s aid.
I knew all too well how they looked at me.
They would definitely find me a nuisance.
I didn’t want to burden anyone anymore.
Nor did I want to see their pitying looks toward me.
“…Do I have to eat alone?”
Just when I was thinking I might have to give up—
“Miss.”
I heard someone call me.
My breath caught, and my body trembled slightly.
Cautiously turning my gaze, I saw a middle-aged woman in a maid outfit. Roselin stood there.
“Oh…hello…”
A timid voice escaped me without my realizing it.
Looking at me with a somewhat sad expression, Roselin soon brightened and approached me with a warm smile.
“What brings you to the Master’s office?”
“Um… I was thinking maybe we could eat together…”
“Oh my… He would be pleased!”
“But he’s not here… I was thinking of eating alone…”
I tried to steady my trembling hands.
Roselin’s gentle smile began to seem like mocking laughter to me.
Behind her warm words, it felt like there was an underlying disdain.
That’s fine.
I have Athena now.
I shook my head vigorously and looked straight into Roselin’s eyes.
“Do you perhaps know where Athena is?”
She seemed momentarily surprised by my clear question but then smiled widely and answered.
“Come to think of it, it seems the Master hasn’t had breakfast yet either. She is likely in her room, isn’t she?”
So she hadn’t eaten breakfast without me after all.
Finding comfort in that thought, I asked her.
“…Can you tell me where her room is?”
“Of course, Miss.”
Roselin gladly accepted my request and led me to Athena’s room.
As I followed her, a golden adorned door appeared before me.
It seemed to shine even more since it was Athena’s door.
Once Roselin stepped back, I approached her door with a bit of nervousness and opened it.
As the door swung open, a thick and sticky smell assaulted my nose.
“…What is that smell?”
Thinking I should air it out, my eyes fell on her room, which was just as big as mine.
The sparkling jewels around the room seemed to brighten it even further.
However, more eye-catching than the magnificent jewels was Athena’s dazzling platinum hair cascading out from the bed.
I soon spotted Athena, soundly asleep.
Unlike her usual regal demeanor, she looked like a painting in her deep slumber.
‘…She was still sleeping…’
I felt a surge of emotions.
…She had been sleeping this whole time?
While I waited, trying to endure my growling stomach for hours!
With a rebellious heart, I suddenly felt the urge to get back at her.
Just as I was about to gently pinch her cheek—
Her eyes shot open, and she swiftly grabbed my hand.
“Eek?!!”
Her golden eyes locked onto me intensely.
“….Hera?”
Once she recognized me, she calmed down.
“What’s wrong?”
Holding on to my hand, she asked.
I stuttered, trying to gather my words.
“Um… I was thinking… maybe we could eat breakfast together…”
Athena widened her eyes for a moment and then, with a look of overwhelming joy, pulled my hand towards her.
“Eek—”
“I never thought I would get to welcome such a happy morning.”
In an instant, I found myself on top of her.
Through the thin pajamas, I could feel her warmth spreading to me.
As she stared intensely into my eyes, she grabbed the back of my head and said,
“J-Just a moment—mmph…”
She drew my lips to hers.
Chup—chuok—
“Ugh… mm…”
After a few light kisses, Athena parted her lips and slipped her tongue into my mouth.
Kyaah…
Churup—chup
Her sudden kiss.
As if exploring inside my mouth, her tongue danced rapidly.
As time passed, our breaths quickly grew harder.
As the passionate kisses continued, her hand began to move slowly down my body.
At first, she gripped my waist, then gradually moved further inward…
Suddenly, her fingers brushed against my backside.
Still not stopping, her hand ventured deeper—
Thud—
“Ugh?!”
A jolt of electric sensation shot through me as her fingers landed in an unknown area, causing my body to jump.
I quickly pushed her away, startled by the unfamiliar feelings.
But laying on the bed, I had no place to go, and I ended up tumbling off.
Thud—
“Ouch!”
As I clutched my head from underneath the bed, Athena chuckled at my predicament.
“Heal.”
With her chant, golden mana surrounded me, and I felt warmth wash over me as the pain vanished in an instant.
“To make my Master happy first thing in the morning, well done, Hera.”
As she gently patted my head, Athena spoke.
I could feel a sense of comfort in her touch.
Slowly looking up at her, I made a request.
“I’m hungry… Let’s go have breakfast, okay?”
This wasn’t a joke.
Just moments ago, my stomach had been making a fuss, but now it felt like it had passed out.
After days of not eating properly, I no longer had the strength to stand.
“…Huh…”
Looking up, I saw her making a silly face while staring at me.
“…Aren’t you coming?”
As her playful expression slightly annoyed me, I let out a sulky reply.
“Fine. Let’s go. I’m feeling hungry too.”
With that, she reached out her hand to me.
I grabbed her hand and attempted to stand up, but my legs buckled, and I fell again.
“Uh…huh?”
It seemed I really had no strength to get up.
“Y-You’ve got to be kidding…”
No matter how hard I tried, my legs wouldn’t stabilize.
After struggling for a while, Athena sighed deeply and lifted me up.
“Gah?!”
“You must be really starving, Hera.”
Holding my legs and back, she lifted me effortlessly.
It was the classic princess carry pose.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I averted my gaze, but she placed a brief kiss on my forehead.
“Our Hera, so adorable.”
“Ugh.”
Not something I particularly wanted to hear.
As I shot a bit of a glare at her, I noticed her face looked a bit different from usual.
Had she not slept well?
While her golden eyes still sparkled brightly, they were clouded with fatigue.
‘Now that I think about it, she looks like she has dark circles under her eyes…’
Was she feeling unwell?
“Athena… are you feeling alright? You look tired…”
Worry etched across my face as I asked.
“….”
She looked at me, expressionless.
After a while of just staring at me, she finally sighed heavily.
“It’s your fault, Hera.”
She said something I couldn’t make sense of.
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