The sight of magic being used was fascinating no matter how often she witnessed it. Rudbeckia watched with satisfaction as Daniella continuously tormented Renault’s four legs with wind. Daniella manipulated the wind with precision and skill, just enough to challenge Renault without making him fall or get hurt.

“Thank you for your hard work. Please have some water.”

Rudbeckia supported Daniella, who was about to collapse on the ground, helping her sit on a chair covered with a handkerchief. Elfleda continuously fanned her, drying her sweat-soaked silver bangs.

“But is this actually helpful?”

“Of course it is. You’ve been tremendously helpful. Thank you again, Miss Daniella.”

Rudbeckia greeted her brightly, with an expression suggesting there could be no better training.

Meanwhile, Caleb and Zeno tied their horses to posts and approached, drenched in sweat, repeatedly taking mouthfuls of water only to spit them out.

Daniella’s eyes widened as she saw their white shirts clinging to their bodies, clearly revealing their upper body muscles. She wondered how much exercise it would take to develop such defined, clearly separated muscles.

“Um… shall I… help again?”

“Weren’t you tired? Didn’t you say you were busy?”

Elfleda looked at her in bewilderment.

Using magic was quite taxing, and she had made all sorts of excuses to avoid it, only coming today after much pleading. Elfleda couldn’t believe her ears when Daniella volunteered to help again.

Daniella seemed not to hear Elfleda’s words, her gaze fixed on the two men cooling down right beside them. When Elfleda tapped her shoulder, she finally turned and whispered to Elfleda.

“Do you see this kind of sight every day at the knight order?”

“Yes. For knights, this is everyday life. I’ve always told you that life as a knight is good.”

“I didn’t know it was this good.”

Without anyone asking her to, Daniella claimed her strength had returned somewhat and only went back to the mansion after depleting every last bit of her magical power.

* * *

Rudbeckia was preparing for an early bedtime for tomorrow.

— Knock knock

“Rud, it’s me. Can I come in?”

It was Caleb’s voice.

He’s the one competing tomorrow. He should already be in bed by now, not out visiting. She opened the door, worried that something serious might have happened.

As soon as the door opened, Caleb pushed her back and kissed her forehead.

“Huh? I received one yesterday, so it’s fine.”

“Why? Is there some rule against giving you one yesterday and another today?”

“No. I just feel bad for troubling you repeatedly. Anyway, what’s the matter?”

Rudbeckia sat on the bed with a serious face. Since dresses were spread out on the only table, the bed was the only place to sit.

Caleb followed her and sat on the bed, opening his mouth. Though his mouth opened, words didn’t easily come out.

“You have a match tomorrow, you should sleep early. Is it serious? What’s the matter? Just tell me quickly and get some rest.”

She urged him while examining his expression. He looked serious but not grave.

“Well, you know. No matter how strong I am or how much I’ve trained, this lance tournament is quite a dangerous competition. For someone facing a dangerous match…… well, anyway. That thing. You know that thing.”

“Encouragement?”

“Yes. That. How could you not say a single word like that?”

“Pfft. Ah. I’m sorry. Marquis Caleb Finis! Please win! And don’t get hurt!”

Rudbeckia turned her head and kissed his cheek.

— Smooch

Caleb was so startled that he slipped off the bed and landed on his bottom.

“What, why are you so surprised? I gave you a blessing. Was it unpleasant because it wasn’t from Mother Yuli?”

When he reacted with such surprise, Rudbeckia felt embarrassed and her voice turned sharp.

Before going to battle, Yuli always kissed the cheeks of Eriton, Caleb, and Rudbeckia, wishing them safety.

Yuli called it a blessing and explained it was a prayer for them to return safely without a single wound.

“Ah, no. Unpleasant? It seems very effective. Ha. Ha. I’ll definitely win tomorrow without getting even a speck of injury. Ha. Ha. Thank you.”

Caleb got up, dusting off his bottom, and patted her shoulder.

Clearly, they had shared lips and breath before, but his heart pounded wildly as if it were the first time.

“Rud, come lie down here.”

Caleb insisted that Rudbeckia, who offered to see him out, lie down on the bed. Then he covered her with the blanket, kissed her forehead, and carefully asked a question.

“Earlier…… Commander Henry was stroking your leg…… are you okay?”

Henry stroking Rudbeckia’s leg or touching her shoulder or nape under the pretense of putting an arm around her had happened countless times since she joined the Blue Whale Knight Order.

There were often people who fell head over heels for her without her needing to use a honey trap.

“What’s with the sudden concern?”

She could have found it extremely unpleasant, but Rudbeckia always managed to extract something from such situations. For instance, information about dukes’ appearances…… But she only received replies that there were no dukes with platinum blonde hair, and today’s information was that there were no marquises with platinum blonde hair either.

“Do you want to cleanse me?”

“Yes, if it made you uncomfortable……”

Caleb answered in a shrinking voice.

Despite his massive build, when his behavior shrank like this, he looked infinitely adorable.

Even without the honey trap skills or the sensitivity developed while living as a dependent in the Grand Duke’s residence, Caleb’s intentions were clearly visible.

Rudbeckia didn’t hate those intentions.

The first time during the Fabio War had been impulsive, but it had quickly erased the feeling that her body had become something dirty.

And the second time, when she put her lips on Caleb’s finger…… maybe because it was the second time. That day, she focused more on the sensations she felt at the tip of her tongue and fingertips.

The ticklish feeling from her stomach wasn’t bad.

No, it was so good that she worried she might become addicted.

“Since you’ve seen it, I don’t need to point it out, right?”

Rudbeckia crawled to the headboard of the bed. Then she spread her legs slightly.

But she spoke in an emotionless voice, as if emphasizing that this was solely a purification ritual, that she’s not someone desperate to recall that ticklish sensation again.

Caleb answered by caressing her thigh without a word.

Since the knight order’s supplies didn’t include nightgown-like one-piece sleepwear, she wore short shorts like the men.

Caleb slowly placed his lips on her soft skin, which was clearly exposed without needing to be rolled up or down.

Rudbeckia’s teeth parted. Because of his lips pressing more firmly than before.

She covered the faint moan with both hands and looked down at the dark navy blue hair wandering below her. His large hands moving carefully, as if squeezing too hard might break her, looked quite adorable.

Meanwhile, Caleb was falling into the illusion of wandering through an acacia forest.

From her thighs to the valley between them was filled with the sweet scent of acacia, and he was overcome with the urge to place his hands everywhere, pick the flowers, and suck their honey.

He wasn’t worried about tomorrow’s match, but he was tense.

Wanting to replace that tension with a different kind of excitement, he had carefully asked, which led him to wander through this acacia forest.

A little, just a little. He had only intended to place his lips on her enough to relieve the tension……

But as he gradually went deeper, his mind became hazy.

— Slurp……

He sucked where the scent was strongest, as if picking flower petals and drinking their honey.

Feeling the strong suction, almost like a bite, her waist twitched and she lay back.

His large hand was placed on her lower abdomen, as if to reassure her that it was okay.

Now his lips…… her body twitched each time the tip of his tongue brushed between them. With each twitch, Caleb’s hand pressed more firmly on her lower abdomen.

Was it because her movement was controlled? Because she couldn’t move as she wanted? Rudbeckia’s senses quickly became more sensitive.

Enough to feel each wrinkle of Caleb’s lips, each bump on the tip of his tongue!

‘I want to own this.’

Rudbeckia wanted to possess this sensation, to own Caleb’s lips that were giving her this feeling.

‘This is a feeling only Cal can give me.’

Previously, the magic knight Noah had also buried his face between her legs. But then, her mind had been dominated by discomfort and all sorts of distracting thoughts.

But now, as Caleb’s lips traced over her, no other thoughts entered her mind at all. Only this burning heat and the sensation of softly melting filled her head.

Since the manifestation of her perfect memory ability and memory surge, had there ever been a time when only one thought appeared so clearly?

‘Only Cal’s lips……’

Rudbeckia moved Caleb’s hand from her lower abdomen upward.

She wanted this large hand to cup her cheek.

Pulled upward, Caleb faced her flushed face.

She licked Caleb’s palm, calloused from sword training, then brought it to her cheek.

Caleb’s hands were always warm. Even on cold winter days, when his hands touched her, her cheeks, nearly cracked from the winter wind, would melt.

Now her cheeks were as red and hot as his palm, but Rudbeckia rubbed her face against his hand like someone wanting to melt her body.

She looked like a kitten seeking its mother’s embrace. It was such a lovable and cute sight.

Others see Rudbeckia as cold and haughty. Some even lower their eyes at first impression due to her intense image.

So, Caleb’s lips meeting hers was perhaps inevitable.

Thinking that this was a side of her that only he could see and possess, a strong desire to possess and conquer rose within him.

How could he see this sight and not act? If he had never tasted her lips before, he might have somehow endured, but hadn’t he already tasted them once?

Caleb captured Rudbeckia’s lips like a starving man.

The desire to completely possess her came over him. The desire to feel ecstasy and joy inside her began to raise its head.