Chapter 4.2

The faint brush of her breath on his skin made goosebumps rise. Evan felt like he might cry. He could feel Daphne’s soft chest pressed against his back, and below, he was getting more and more tense.

But he couldn’t just stay like that until morning. Evan curled himself up and lay on the edge of the bed so Daphne could rest more comfortably.

He tried to peel her arms off his neck, just in case, but it was as if they’d been glued in place. Evan felt his face growing hot for no reason and took a long breath, then began to hum a military song.

“Ah, it’s hot…”

Her heavy breathing, thick with heat, made Evan tense up again. Daphne, her face still buried in his neck, rubbed her forehead against him, and Evan wished he could just disappear.

“S-Sir Grey? Please, could you move your hand…”

Evan gasped as he felt Daphne’s hand, which had slipped under his shirt, move from his firm stomach slowly upward.

He quickly grabbed her hand. But he was so startled by how small it was compared to his own that he let go again.

Suddenly, her face came into view. It was the first time he’d seen a woman his age so close. Unlike his own skin, tanned dark from the sun, hers was pale and fair. Probably because she spent all day at her desk.

As time passed, he felt like the effects of the alcohol were only getting stronger, not weaker. Today was, technically, the day they’d agreed to do “that,” but he didn’t want it to happen in such a haphazard way.

Trying to shake off those thoughts, Evan turned his gaze elsewhere and gently pried Daphne off him. She frowned, as if she didn’t like it.

He barely had time to feel relieved at finally being free before Daphne, now with both hands free, began to pull off her own clothes. Evan had to squeeze his eyes shut.

‘Don’t open your eyes, don’t open your eyes, don’t…’

But with his vision blocked, his other senses only became more sensitive. He heard the rustle of fabric, followed by the unfamiliar sound of a small buckle coming undone.

“Huh…!”

Evan instinctively opened his eyes at the sound he’d never heard before, and for a moment, he was so confused he slapped his own cheek hard to check if he was dreaming.

Smack.

The sting on his cheek told him this was real. He knew he should look away from her bare body, but his body wouldn’t listen.

She was thin enough to make him wonder if she ate properly, but her curves were still unmistakably feminine. Beneath her short bob, her round shoulders led down to modestly sized br*asts that looked as if they’d fit perfectly in one hand.

The sight was so shocking he was left completely frozen, staring blankly at her.

It wasn’t as if there had never been women around him. But the only times he’d seen someone else’s n*ked body were with his brothers or fellow knights. He thought he should block his view, so he grabbed for the blanket and pulled, but that turned out to be a bad idea.

The blanket, which had been under Daphne, pulled her right into his arms.

Her soft chest pressed against him. Even through layers of clothing, the sensation was vivid.

“S-Sir Grey…”

“…Evan?”

“Yes, It’s me, Evan Clyde. So please…”

He had no idea what she wanted from him. He racked his brain, trying to figure out her intentions, but no answer came easily.

Did she want him to let her go, or…

* * *

“Ow, my head…”

Daphne frowned at the sharp, needling pain and opened her eyes. Her blurry vision slowly cleared, and she began to see what was in front of her.

“What is this…?”

For a moment, Daphne was confused if she was dreaming or awake. A man, shirtless, was lying beside her.

‘Am I so tired I’m hallucinating?’

She rubbed her eyes, but nothing changed. Evan, his large frame squeezed into her small bed, was definitely there, sleeping.

‘Why is Sir Clyde in my house?’

Looking down, she could see his chest rising and falling with his breath. In other words, his bare chest, with nothing covering it at all.

Daphne was so stunned by the sight that she froze, staring at him in disbelief. Just then, her alarm went off, signaling it was time for work. Startled, she let out a shriek, and Evan’s eyes flew open.

“…Good morning.”

Daphne tried to smile awkwardly, but Evan’s face went pale. He scrambled out of bed and immediately dropped to his knees, bowing his head deeply.

“I’m very sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to sleep here, but the situation was unavoidable, it’s not that I did it on purpose, I mean…”

“Hold on. I’m not blaming you, so let’s calm down first. You’re a bit too agitated right now.”

Agi-agitated…

Evan repeated her words quietly, and his neck flushed red as if he’d suddenly remembered something.

“I’ll correct myself.”

“And please, get up. There’s no need to go that far…”

At Daphne’s words, Evan jumped up and banged his knee on the low table. Off balance, he toppled forward, landing right over Daphne.

Thud!

He tried to catch himself on the wall, but Daphne was already pinned beneath him. Her face ended up pressed against his firm chest, and she let out a startled squeak.

“I-I’m so sorry!”

His eyes were reddening as if he might burst into tears. Afraid he’d end up smashing his face into the table, Daphne tried to act calm.

“I’m fine. I’m not hurt anywhere. What about you?”

“I’m fine as well.”

“That’s good. Let’s talk about the details on the way. You’re heading back to your dorm, right?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“I’ll go wash up, so could you wait a moment? Or you can leave first if you want.”

“I’ll wait.”

Daphne looked at him, sitting obediently like a well-trained dog, then grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom.

‘He really is a strange person.’

Even after she finished getting ready for work, Evan was sitting in the same spot, in the same posture. His face was so serious it felt like she’d punished him.

“Have you been sitting like that the whole time?”

“Yes? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, not really… It just seemed like you were uncomfortable.”

“Not at all.”

With that, he stood up. Daphne looked up at him—he seemed to grow taller like a mushroom sprouting up—and tried to piece together her hazy memories.

‘So, the situation is…’

She could clearly remember drinking with Hailey. Originally, she’d planned to talk with Evan about the direction and schedule for their research. She ended up drinking with Hailey as well, though it couldn’t be helped.

If only she had stopped drinking at a reasonable point, but caught up in the lively mood, she ended up drinking more than usual. After that, she remembered nothing. When she opened her eyes, she was simply lying in the same bed as Evan.

Logically reconstructing the series of events, she could only conclude that, after getting quite drunk, he had tried to take her back to the dormitory, but due to some particular circumstance, they ended up sleeping in the same bed.

Of course, they had just slept, very innocently.

Her body ached here and there from sharing such a small bed, but as soon as she realized she must have shown an unsightly side of herself, Daphne’s face went pale.

Hailey had once told her, “You really have a terrible habit when you drink,” so her worries were not unfounded.

“Shall we go, then? If we’re late, both you and I will be in trouble, Sir Clyde.”

When she opened the door and stepped out, Evan followed awkwardly behind.

“Oh, right. The key.”

Daphne looked around at the mess, but couldn’t find her key anywhere. 

Had I lost it on the way? That couldn’t be—I’d made it home safely. 

Just then, Evan stretched out his hand.

“Here it is.”

In his large, pot-lid-like palm, the tiny key sat quietly, waiting for her to take it. Daphne looked up at him. Perhaps thinking she was giving him a suspicious look, Evan hurried to explain himself.

“Sir Watson threw it and ran off, so I had no choice but to keep it! I didn’t know where to put it…”

Actually, he could have just left it anywhere on the desk. But maybe he thought it would be a disaster if it was lost, so he’d kept it tightly in his hand.

Daphne took the key, still faintly warm from his touch, and locked the door as she spoke.

“I almost had to apply for a lost key again. Thank you.”

“Again?”

“I tend to lose things easily. This is my fourth key.”

As she jingled the key, Evan’s gaze moved from her fingertips to her face. Feeling awkward under his persistent stare, Daphne cleared her throat and started walking.