I really tried to hold back.
To ask to touch the unique body parts of another race.
Using the status of being an investor, no less.
No matter how I think about it, it was an outrageous breach of etiquette.
So for the past few hours, I’ve been suppressing this strong impulse.
But throughout my time with Pelaine, all I could see were those animal ears.
Even when talking face-to-face, my gaze went to her ears before those sparkling eyes.
If there’s even the slightest sound from behind, her ears perk up.
Those adorable ears, filled with soft white fur, looked so fluffy.
I was distracted by those ears, which seemed like they would be soft to the touch, to the point where I couldn’t concentrate on my conversation with Pelaine at all.
‘I can’t help it.’
I had to take special measures.
If I kept this up, I wouldn’t remember what I talked about with Pelaine every time.
This would also cause a critical issue in carrying out the operation later.
So this isn’t for my selfish desires, but for the greater good.
I mustered up the courage to make that rude request by pulling some justification from here and there.
“Can I touch your ears?”
I said it.
Cautiously raising my head, I looked at Pelaine’s face—
“Ah…”
Sure enough, she was looking at me with a disdainful gaze.
Damn. I must have been briefly crazy.
“I’m sorry. Forget what I just said—”
“It’s fine.”
“What?”
“It’s okay to touch them.”
“I don’t intend to force you with the authority of an investor. You can refuse if you dislike it—”
“Um, I really don’t mind. But can I ask you to do it somewhere without anyone else around…”
“Understood.”
A bit of guilt washed over me.
No matter how I thought about it, it felt like I was coercing her.
But to be honest—
‘Yay!’
I was thrilled to the point of jumping up.
.
.
.
It was hard to find private rooms in this small fortress.
Even most of the knightly nobility were having copulations in the barracks.
Among that, there was one private room that was made under duress.
Of course, it was for the Commander in Chief.
‘Huhwa. Huhwaah…’
In the cramped Commander’s barracks.
The only source of light was the oil lamp, and in that darkness, Pelaine had to use every ounce of effort to manage her expression.
In front of her sat a man.
It was Schlus Hainkel.
“The Commander’s barracks is quite poor.”
Pelaine was about to have her ears touched by him.
For beastfolk, ears are the most sensitive body parts they carry around.
At the same time, they’re organs that detect mana ripples and release heat, so they’re usually not to be taken lightly.
Entrusting those ears to another’s hand meant one either fully trusted them…
Or held extreme affection for them.
Even in a relationship, allowing someone to touch your ears was considered a final step.
“Will it be fine to touch them now?”
“…”
Pelaine scrutinized Schlus’s face as he confidently spoke.
Only a few hours had passed since they met, and here he was trying to commit a breach of etiquette.
It was shameless, but for some reason, I found that confidence appealing.
I wanted to prove that I could devote everything to him.
“Yes.”
I slightly tilted my head.
Soon, Schlus swallowed hard and reached out his hand.
Her ears kept perking up, unable to stay still.
It was happening now.
Her ears, which had never been touched by another, were going to be touched by this human man she just met…
“Hah?”
As his fingertips brushed against her ear, a sound escaped her without her realizing.
Schlus seemed surprised and pulled his hand back.
Doing that would make it hard for the one touching…
Pelaine thought as she covered her mouth with her hands and tilted her head again.
“Umm…”
His hands again found their way to the back of her ears.
Surprised at first, but knowing it now, it wasn’t something to be so flustered about.
Soon, Schlus’s cautious touch began to glide along the edges of her ears, starting to rub the tips.
‘Oh. So gentle…’
He didn’t grip it tightly or rub it furiously.
Pelaine often saw humans dragging beastkin slaves by their ears.
I worried whether Schlus would do the same, but soon realized that was unnecessary.
At first, even just the touch sent shivers down her spine, but she gradually became accustomed to his touch.
“It might be a bit rude to ask, but…”
“Yes…”
“Can I ask how human ears are positioned?”
“Oh, if that’s—”
“Ah, no. I’d prefer if you didn’t tell me. It’s better to stay ignorant.”
“…?”
Saying something she didn’t understand, Schlus started rubbing her ears again.
The ticklish sensation of his fingers stroking her fur sent a tremor through her body.
It felt like all her nerves were focused on the tips of her ears.
Before she knew it, she was leaning closer to Schlus with her eyes closed.
“Hmph… Uhm…”
*Swish.*
A sound like grass brushing in the wind reached her ears.
Schlus’s hand had brushed the fur inside her ear.
‘Whoa. Ah. Ahh…’
His hands moved following no rules, messing up her fur.
At the same time, a gentle rustling filled her ears.
Now, she couldn’t hear anything else.
She couldn’t see anything.
She just surrendered her body to that thrilling and addictive sensation.
“…”
Suddenly, Schlus withdrew his hand.
Why did he suddenly stop after touching so much?
Pelaine opened her eyes and slowly raised her head.
“Neheh…?”
Only after seeing Schlus’s flustered face did she realize.
She had been drooling with her mouth open.
Turning her head to look in the mirror, she couldn’t help but be shocked.
In a daze, she looked like a beast with a messy face, her ears twitching on both sides.
“I-I’m done! Please go out!”
“Uh… I understand.”
*Whoosh!* She shoved Schlus out of the barracks.
Schlus left without resisting at all.
The shadow standing at the tent entrance soon turned away and left without hesitation.
“Haa…”
Letting out a sigh of relief, Pelaine sat back down.
Then she picked up the mirror to examine her face.
Her ears were still in a state of excitement.
They were flapping uncontrollably.
No matter how much she tried to hold them down, they kept twitching involuntarily.
“Uh oh. I think they broke…”
Her ears were broken.
Was it because they were touched too much?
She wrapped her head in her arms and stayed like that for a while until they finally calmed down.
Yet, the mysterious sensation from earlier couldn’t be forgotten.
Those gentle caresses…
‘What if he tries to touch them again?’
Maybe Schlus Hainkel will ask again in the future.
What would I do then?
I can’t defy the mood of my precious investor.
So then, I’ll reluctantly agree again.
Reluctantly.
Pelaine lay back on her bed, waiting—no, worrying—about the day Schlus would come back with another unreasonable request.
*
*Creek* The large front door swung open.
Before Iris stood a formation of knights and soldiers, lined up on both sides.
A chaotic mix of humans and beastfolk.
Among them, Iris took slow steps forward.
“Saintess, we greet you.”
“Saintess, we greet you.”
“…”
They all bowed their heads and placed their right hands over their hearts in reverence.
To the only living saintess in the continent’s history.
The fact that this saintess had come to the Southern Republic was a momentous honor for them.
Though they were somewhat put off that she had first visited the stronghold of the suppression army…
“I am Vice Commander Darius. Please forgive my rudeness in attending you in place of Duke Lorraine.”
“It’s alright. Please raise your heads.”
Iris smiled warmly at the one-eyed wolf beastfolk kneeling.
This was Darius.
A gladiator by origin, he had almost led a rebellion of beastkin slaves.
‘Just as I heard, Lorraine is keeping himself hidden.’
As the rumors suggested, Lorraine was thorough.
Though no one dared to openly suspect the saintess of being a spy for the suppression army, he was cautious enough not to show himself.
If her presence were to be compromised, and assassins showed up, the rebels would lose their lynchpin of unity between humans and beastfolk.
“Are there any injured?”
“Yes? Of course, there are, but why…?”
“Could you allow me to treat them?”
“I understand, Saintess. I will guide you to the prisoner detention center.”
“Are the injured only among the prisoners?”
“Huh? Didn’t you come to treat the suppression army prisoners?”
“Regardless of factions, if there are wounded people, I want to see them all. May I have permission to check over all the forts and see if anyone needs treatment?”
“…!”
Darius’s mouth dropped open.
She hadn’t come just to look after the suppression army’s prisoners.
She was there solely for the act of healing, without regard for rebels or suppression army, human or beastfolk.
Moved by this thought, Darius felt his chest swell with emotion.
“If you do that, we would be grateful, Saintess. Let me guide you to your accommodations.”
“Hooray for the Saintess! Hooray for the Saintess!”
As cheers erupted from all around, Iris followed Darius through the crowd, never losing her smile.
‘This seems easier than I thought.’
I was worried about restrictions on my actions, but it seemed I could roam freely and leak all information I could to the suppression army.
