3.3

In Red’s relaxed hand, Delphinel carefully slid her hand from behind, only to be surprised by the rough texture.

‘It feels like sandpaper. It didn’t seem this rough when he touched my body last night.’

A hand so rough it seemed incapable of stroking silk.

Yet last night, within this hand, Delphinel felt no pain. Though her nerves were sharply stimulated, it was never painful.

‘He really was being careful last night…’

“Madame, do you not want to hold my hand anymore?”

“No, I was just lost in thought for a moment!”

Delphinel lowered her flushed face and pushed her hand in. It was indeed rough. And hot. 

Are all people who handle metal like this?

“Red. Lightly bend your fingers to support my hand.”

“Yes! …Does it hurt?”

“I’m not cotton candy. I won’t break from being held.”

“Cotton candy…”

Red thought.

‘It’s similar.’

Especially on the bed.

White and soft. It crumples when squeezed. And when touched, it gives off a peculiar sweetness.

Thoughts are thoughts, and reality is reality. Red gently held her soft hand.

Just when it felt really good, Delphinel threw another challenging task.

“Let’s walk home like this.”

“To walk… Our arms and legs need to alternate, right? What should we do? Should we decide who moves first—”

“Just start walking!”

Even as Delphinel said that, her first step was awkward—

But she was right.

Not long after they started walking abruptly, their steps gradually returned to their usual rhythm. Occasionally, when their walking seemed awkward, Delphinel glanced sharply at the surrounding people for reference, then playfully swung her arms to balance.

Each time, Red felt as if his heart was spinning around and returning to its place.

‘…This is exciting.’

It seemed slightly different, but Red couldn’t find another word.

Instead of pondering over it, looking down at Delphinel was more enjoyable.

Suddenly, just seeing a stray strand of hair sticking out was delightful. Her brown eyelashes were pretty. Her profile, subtly turning toward the street vendors every time they appeared, was cute. The pointed toe of her shoes peeking out with each busy step beneath her long dress was so endearing that he wanted to kiss it.

‘Really, incredibly, I want to do this every day.’

Walking while holding hands with someone was truly enjoyable.

‘I wonder how Madame feels?’

Just in time, they were almost out of the market street. As they reached the path leading to the back gate of Central Academy, Red cautiously asked.

“Madame, was there anything uncomfortable?”

“…There is now.”

“Huh?”

As she said, Delphinel’s brows slightly furrowed. At the sharp end of her gaze, Red noticed a man looking their way from the academy’s forest path.

Hair slicked back with pomade, a perfectly fitting suit with chalk dust on the sleeves, and a black briefcase.

Anyone would think ‘He’s a professor’ just by looking at him.

Delphinel whispered.

“He’s a colleague of mine. He’s also the person who doubted whether we were really married.”

“Ah.”

“We’re not close, so I’ll just nod and pass by. You just need to pretend to be my husband well.”

“Understood.”

Red swallowed hard.

Thinking about it, as a husband, all he had done was fail once and succeed once at s*x. This was the first time he received a proper request, wasn’t it?

As they got closer to her colleague, Red’s shoulders broadened more. Most people would have quietly looked away and passed by.

But the colleague approached with an annoyingly smug expression and quipped.

“Are you exercising, Professor Redermoon?”

“Exercising?”

“Aren’t you? I thought it was an exercise resembling a three-legged race since your husband is walking briskly ahead and you’re almost running to catch up.”

A remark about not matching strides while walking together. Even Red could understand such cheap provocation. But soon, the man changed his demeanor to one of a gentleman, not giving Red the chance to respond to the provocation.

“Nice to meet you. I am Professor Larson from Central Academy. And you, Sir, your name is…?”

“Oh, I’m Red! I’m a blacksmith.”

“A blacksmith! That’s a very important job in modern society. Do you teach many apprentices?”

“Well…”

“Oh, haven’t you become independent yet? Usually, blacksmiths get married after they are financially prepared—”

“Professor Larson.”

Delphinel interrupted, her sharp gaze fixed on Professor Larson.

“Don’t concern yourself with others’ independence.”

“Oh! This is a misunderstanding. I was merely wondering if I could establish a connection with a good forge, not criticizing an unprepared marriage. Did you take it as criticism, Professor Redermoon? That’s unfortunate.”

“Stop speaking in circles. And the early marriage wasn’t Red’s fault! I was the one who urged for a quick marriage. Isn’t that right, Darling?”

Delphinel said this as she suddenly hugged Red’s arm.

Red nearly exploded on the spot.

The absurd address ‘darling’ was problematic, but above all…

‘Her chest, her chest is touching! Madame! Her chest on my arm! Even through clothes, it’s incredibly soft and fluffy!’

He was going crazy. The sensation he had touched and touched again over several nights vividly came to mind. It felt good, but still!

‘I’m getting aroused in the middle of the street!’

Red quickly recalled depressing and dreadful stories.

The costs demanded by the guild are increasing. The maintenance costs of the forge are not trivial. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for a blacksmith to become independent. People who open their own shops and end up selling even their hammers and going bankrupt…

“Darling, answer!”

Before his arousal could fully rise, Red managed to squeeze out a response.

“Yes, that’s right! You urged me! How could I refuse my wife’s words!”

“…Well, yes. I like that you always listen to me, Red.”

Professor Larson’s brows furrowed.

“Are you really listening? From what your husband says, it sounds like a pledge of allegiance.”

“I’ve been doing forge work for a long time, so my manner of speaking is stiff!”

Even as he said this, Red kept trying to push away Delphinel’s body clinging to his arm. The continuous stimulation was truly unbearable.

Meanwhile, Delphinel was bewildered.

‘Is he telling me to move away? What’s better than linking arms for pretending to be a couple!’

But since Red was flapping so desperately, Delphinel stepped back half a step to avoid looking more suspicious—

In the momentary freedom of her hand.

Red’s fingers intertwined with hers.

‘Ah…’

The so-called interlocking fingers.

This should make them look like a normal couple.

‘Not bad.’

Delphinel gently stroked the back of Red’s hand as if in praise.

…But for some reason, at that moment, Red flinched and gripped her hand tighter.

The air between their palms briefly pushed them apart, but soon the soft flesh adhered, creating a vacuum. It felt as if something intimate was overlapping, even though it was nothing special.

Moreover, it wasn’t just that. When their fingers pressed and tangled a bit roughly, a strange sensation tingled through Delphinel’s lower abdomen.

It was similar to what she felt in bed not long ago.

Delphinel’s face turned bright red.

However, Delphinel wasn’t the only one who sensed something amiss.

Red had experienced all sorts of things with these hands.

He had touched metal more precious than gold. He had touched rotting leather. He had encountered the hottest and the coolest things. Though he might have flinched, he had never run away from them, which was Red’s pride.

But when Delphinel gently stroked the back of his hand.

‘Oh…?’

Strangely, there was a tingling mist spreading from his fingers. The problem was that the mist was mostly gathering at his lower body.

‘Please don’t do this, Madame!’

Red held Delphinel’s hand tightly. Of course, he couldn’t hurt her, so he eased his grip, but this time Delphinel flinched, just like Red had when he felt her chest.

…And when their finger joints intertwined, Red began to understand why Delphinel flinched.

Beyond the warmth that mingled with their body heat, the sudden clarity of their bones signaled that they had entrusted their flesh deeply to each other.

‘It’s just a hand, just a hand… Not even a chest…’

Before he knew it, Red’s fingers were exploring Delphinel’s hand more deeply. Delphinel flinched but couldn’t escape. Even that led to pleasure for Red.

He stroked her slender fingers with his own finger joints, gently scratched the sweaty part inside her hand, and felt the moment she flinched with his entire palm…

‘Am I really a pervert? Or do couples hold hands like this?’

Damn it.

Now even couples holding hands on the street seemed annoying to him.

Delphinel was the first to regain her composure.

“Professor Larson! Are you on your way home?”

“…Ah, yes! I’m heading home now!”

“Don’t you usually use the main gate? Why did you come this way?”

“Well… The weather is nice!”

“I see. Then have a good rest before going in. See you later at school! Let’s go inside, Darling!”

Delphinel quickly let go of his hand and patted Red’s back. Red barely managed a greeting, lightly nodding to Professor Larson before wrapping an arm around Delphinel’s shoulder. Although his arm didn’t actually touch her shoulder, Professor Larson couldn’t see that far.

A large man who looked like he just came from a physical job, and a woman who seemed studious even from the back of her head walked away.