17. Attraction
Rudy [POV]
I hope it lasts this time.
For every step forward I take, she takes two steps back. I’m confident this time will be slightly different, if that smile was anything to go by. Looking back at her sleeping figure, I close the door to her bedroom, and leave the room.
It’s a good thing we got through all the day’s chores, as that will give her some time to recover, but I underestimated just how much energy it would take out of her. I’m going to need to limit these sessions to only night time, so she can have a proper full day’s rest. I’ll take over the household duties this evening. Wait-
I don’t know how to cook…
///
Paul [POV]
Up. down. Up. Down. Up…
“Mmh, nice”.
I thought she wasn’t feeling well, but it looks like she’s feeling better now. Looking from outside the house through the open window, I gaze at Lilia, her chest rising periodically, as she moves around the house. She seems to have an extra pep in her step.
She seems… happier than usual.
Just coming back from patrol, as well as visiting Laws home, I was greeted with the sight of Lilia, bouncing around the house. Well, she’s just walking, but her chest is bouncing. She’s putting an extra bounce to her steps.
Keep going, I approve.
Speaking of odd behavior. There is another odd figure in the house as well. I turn my head at the small figure in the kitchen. It is my son. He is… cooking.
“Sigh, how am I going to breach this topic…” The scent luring me in, I stand outside in the yard, wondering how I should enter my household.
The sight of Lilia skipping around can only distract me for so long.
Everything was so simple this morning. Then I decided to visit Laws, and decided to personally apologize for my son’s behavior.
Forcing yourself on girls is no good, especially when they're your friends, and I won’t have my son performing such actions, especially when he is already disliked by the other kids.
But after conversing with Alice. Things became complicated…
///
“What do you mean Rudy was innocent?” I asked her.
“My husband overreacted,” Alice confessed.
He said Rudy was abusing Sylphy and groping her when she couldn’t move, or at least that’s what he told me.
“Ah, right… well… that might have been a gross oversimplification. Sylphy gave her side of things, and said that Rudy didn’t do anything she didn’t want… asked…” Alice says, looking bashfully to the side.
That’s my boy!
Wait, no! Calm down. I’m a respectful parent right now! Yes…
“Wait, so Rudy didn’t push down his friend, and groped her against her will?”
I have to be sure.
“No, I humbly apologize for my husband's reaction. During the spur of the moment, he made haste, and came to you directly after. Me and my husband had a talk with Sylphy to calm her down yesterday… or at least that was the intention, and she told us the whole story.”
“Where’s Laws right now out of curiosity?” I asked.
She looked to the side defeated, before sighing. “He’s recovering from some mental damage. I guess you could say his mental image of his daughter took quite a hit.”
///
That must have been a hell of a story.
It turns out the situation was more consensual, then Laws implied. Much to the latter’s shock.
“Honestly, where do these kids get it from… oh, that’s right me, and probably…”
Remembering whose Law's mother is, makes me wonder if it’s hereditary.
I was split between being half proud, and half angry at him for fooling around with his friend. On one hand, nice, but as a knight, and Laws’s friend, I couldn’t sit by and do nothing. I can’t have my son becoming a sexual deviant.
At least do these things away from prying eyes, so I don’t have to punish you for it. If I wasn’t Laws close friend, I probably would have been a bit happy. Not telling Zenith that though.
“Ah! What do I do…”
On one hand, I didn’t want to look weak, and bow my head so easily, especially when I already lost my temper, and even struck my son. On the other hand, I could swallow my pride, end his punishment, and let it pass. Lord knows, I did similar stuff his age.
Dammit, what would my father do?
He would have stubbornly stood by his principles, and I would have… rebelled.
“Ok, that’s a no go.”
What did I want my father to do back then?
“I wanted him to listen to me.”
…kind of like Rudy, before I smacked him.
I massaged my forehead and leaned by the windowsill. What a headache this all is. Have to be strong.
“Sir, Paul?” I hear a murmur.
Turning to the source, I notice Lilia staring at me from inside.
“Ah, h-hey, there, good morning,” a little dazed I said hello.
“It’s the afternoon, Master Paul…”
…so it is…
“Sniff, something’s burning,” noticing a scent coming from the kitchen, I decided to come inside.
What kind of father hides outside his own home?
“Oh, well, time to swallow the fireball,” I entered my house rubbing the back of my head, “You look good today by the way Lilia.”
“Thank you sir Paul…” She bows.
It’s been six years, but she’s still so serious.
I wonder what happened to that lively swordswoman I used to train with?
Then again… that girl was always shooting glares at me, insulting me, and accusing me of being lazy, so perhaps this is an improvement. I take a look at her bountiful chest, second only to my wife, and nice curves I can’t help. Definitely an improvement.
“Paul…” Lilia’s disapproving tone breaks me from my daydreaming. She noticed my look.
Deciding not to bring attention to it, she says nothing, but gives me a leveled stare. Zenith is just a room away, and it would start a fight if she found out I’ve been staring at Lilia’s chest… again.
No need to go poking at sleeping breasts.
“Sorry… old habits.”
At least she’s not glaring at me.
“You’re looking better… Rudy said you were exhausted, and you were going to take the day off,” making my way to the kitchen, I peek inside. Instead of the usual sight of two beautiful buxom beauties, there is only the one, as the other is by my side.
“Yes, Rudy told me when I woke up, that he and Zenith were taking over the kitchen duties for the day,” she smiled. “Please wait patiently, master and the meal will be ready shortly.”
“Well, no I get that, but… why Rudy?”
She sighs, while putting a hand to her cheek, peeking in the kitchen. “Master Rudeus is a very hands-on person, Paul. He just can’t help himself sometimes.”
“My son wants to be a cook?” I see his figure right next to his mother, as he listens intently at her every word.
“Pfft-”
I hear a noise behind me.
“Did you… did you just laugh?” I asked.
“I did not,” she says expressionlessly.
“No, you clea-”
“Anyhow, master Rudeus was intent on learning how to cook today, and when madame got word of it, she decided to join him. They were both quite adamant about not letting me work, so it’s best to let them be.”
“You were cleaning…”
“Not hard, and I’ve rested plenty,” she stubbornly replies.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
“Miss Zenith just wanted an excuse to use the kitchen with only her and Rudeus, and,” she sniffs at the air, “and by the smell of it, it’s coming to an end. Your meal is ready. You may ask Zenith yourself if you wish to inquire further into her reasoning,” and with a skip in her step she walks away.
“...she definitely laughed...” I whispered.
Taking that as my clue to leave, I place my sword on its hook, and put away my gear, before making my way into the kitchen.
“Good job Rudy, you made your very own Panela meal,” Zenith praised him.
It’s an interesting sight.
Rudy being so independent, you forget sometimes that he’s still a child. Seeing him learning something from someone not named Roxy is a fresh sight. The amount of times he hangs around his mom until now has been-
Huh? Wait a minute, when was the last time this happened? Their was the birthday, then…
“Well I’ll be… guess I don’t have to ask why Rudy is cooking.”
Not a big problem, it’s not like he hates his mom or anything, but there is one small issue; my wife is the pampering type, and Rudy is not.
Don’t know why he isn’t, but I’m not going to complain. There are benefits to being on the sidelines as well. That being when Zenith is feeling a bit shunned, or lonely, she’s exceptionally affectionate in bed.
Hehe, good nights. I could use some affection today, to distract me from my troubles.
“Dear, welcome back,” she steps away from Rudy, and kisses me. “Your meal will be ready in a second, hold on a moment. There's just some last minute changes.”
“I see…” standing there, I look at Rudy stuck in concentration, before Zenith goes back to grabbing the plates and setting the table.
“What’s going on?” I whisper to her while they’re separated.
As pleasant a sight it is to see her so happy, it’s still different from our everyday routine.
“Well~ Lilia wasn’t feeling well today, and Rudy is grounded today sooo,” she taps her fingers tentatively against each other, looking slyly at her son, “wouldn’t it be a good chance to punish Rudy and give Lilia a good day’s rest.”
“She seems alright.”
“She’s fine,” she waved it off, “a little tired, but healthy. I offered to give her the day off, but she refused! Honestly…” she pouts. “I wonder why she didn’t tell us she needed a day off, sigh. Anyways, Lilia is taking it easy… in her own way… and Rudy is being punished.”
“...by cooking?”
“It never helps to have extra hands in the kitchen.”
“And that you get to spend some precious mother son bonding is just a bonus-”
She puts a finger to my lips. “Shh! Don’t say anything, you’ll ruin it,” she glances back at Rudy before looking back at me. “I don’t want him noticing I tricked him. Got-it-dear…” she glares, putting her hands at her hips.
“Got it dear…”
Well, at least she’s happy, but… speaking of punishments… How do I breach it?
“Speaking of punishments…” I earned a glare for my troubles, ignoring it I pushed on, and explained what Alice had told me earlier that day.
“I see…” my wife mused. “Later.”
“Later what?”
“You can apologize later, right now we’re having a family meal,” she looked at me sternly. “Don’t. Ruin. It.”
So it’s already decided that I’m apologizing.
While we were talking Rudy came over, and started placing our meals before us, or… at least what I could assume was our meal.
“It’s burnt…” I mumbled.
Slap. Getting slapped for my efforts, as my wife hit me in the back of the head.
“Charred, it’s charred… it gives it flavor,” my son argues back, but the blush on his face didn’t make him look any less convincing.
Ahhh! My son’s the cutest.
Wait! No, be stern! Hold strong! We had a fight last night, and we’re about to have a serious moment.
I tried the meal prepared before me. “Delicious…” It's good. It’s not on my wife’s or Lilia’s level, but it’s not bad for a first time. A little on the ‘charred,’ side, but good. I take a look at my wife, and notice her looking at me intently.
I got it, I got it. I’ll be good.
My son raises his chin smugly at my praise.
Well… as long as they're both happy.
We can always talk tomorrow…
///
Rudy [pov]
“You look peppy,” I said.
“I am not peppy,” Lilia answered back.
“Exactly what a peppy person would say.”
Me and Lilia are currently enjoying some alone time.
Paul gave his final verdict yesterday, and I’m Innocent! Hurray hurray! Banzai! I’m free! I’m out on parole! I went from being grounded a week, to only being grounded a few days, and all it will cost me is a bit of weed killing. Not a problem considering I’ll be free to do whatever I want when I finish.
And what I want to do the most is… continue teasing Lilia.
“Regardless, I’m glad to see you happy and active,” I tell her.
“What exactly is Rudy’s view of me I wonder?”
“Resident, kuudere milf with a stubborn streak, and with a wall around her heart thicker than orichalcum.”
“…I only understood the latter half, and I won’t call myself stubborn. If I were, I don't think I would have given you as much leeway as I have.”
“Thank you by the way.”
“You are most certainly not welcome.”
“Still, you gotta admit… for a while there you were stubbornly pushing me to the side.”
She frowns. “I admit… that not taking advantage of a certain healer's free services would be a huge waste, and I should gladly accept his help.”
“So you admit to being stubborn.”
She gives me a small glare.
I cough into my fist looking away.
Right. Right. Test my limits. Don’t wanna forget this woman is capable of kicking my ass.
“Sooo, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to see the letter carrier, so he can deliver my parcel for me.”
“You know, I’ve been wondering about that for a while now, but who exactly are you sending money to anyway?”
For the life of me I couldn’t figure it out.
In the original story it was never said she was explicitly close to anyone, but at the tail end of every month she sends a package with a few coins to someone unknown.
“Who are you sending money to?”
Furthermore, when I actually stop to think about it, she’s more or less hiding from royalty, so it makes me doubly curious as to who she would be talking to in this situation.
An old friend from work? Someone from her dojo days? I wouldn’t mind finding out if that was the case. I could always get used to seeing a new face. But still, who?
“I’m sending it to my parents.”
Excuse me?
“Um, Lilia… can you repeat that? It sounded like you said…”
“I said my parents Rudeus. I send a portion of my salary to them every month.”
That’s what I thought you said.
“The same parents that kicked you out of your home.”
“There were… circumstances, but yes,” she acknowledged.
Circumstances, she says… yes… you could say that. Or… you could call it what it really was. You were raped.
“Haaaa…” I groan.
Too bad I can’t address it, as I’m not supposed to know about it. But dammit Lily…
“...why?”
“Rudeus?”
“Why are you sending them money?”
Over these last few days Lilia and I have gotten closer to each other. We have managed to breach many topics, like Lilia’s love of spicy food, and horror stories, but… the topics that really mattered… not so much.
Those topics remain beyond my reach.
I am aware that it would be a difficult topic to breach them, but I still want to. If I’m to get anywhere with her, the topic of Paul, and everything around him has to be breached. Otherwise… wouldn’t I just be ‘his’ son in her eyes.
But I can’t be the one to breach it. It has to be her.
So I'll wait.
“They are my parents Rudy. Taking care of your parents is what is expected of you.”
“But they! HE-” I struggled to control myself, as I choked the words down.
Her father might be someone abhorrent to me, but to her, he’s family.
Over the many topics we’ve covered the topic of family came up more than once, specifically her father. It was… enlightening. I found out enough to have a good idea of who he is, and by these world’s standards, he might even be called, ‘decent,’ but, by my standards; he’s utter garbage.
He threw his daughter away. In her time of need, when she needed him the most, he threw his daughter away, as she had; ‘brought shame to her family.’
Lilia’s words…
Again; utter garbage.
“...he doesn’t…” I paused, gathering my breath. “He doesn’t deserve you, nor your money. Not a single penny. He doesn’t need it.”
She frowned. “Even so, they’re still my parents.”
“Thats-that shouldn’t matter!”
“Rudy?”
“They, even if you hadn't told me anything about what he… about how he left you, someone like-” I gather my breath as I think on what I’m going to say. “They left you out in the streets without anywhere to go. He left you in your time of need. You don’t ‘need’ to do anything.”
“Indeed… I suppose I don’t.”
“Hahh…” I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“But I want to.”
“Why?!”
“Rudeus… as I said, there were circumstances. It was my misfortune, and there's nothing that I could do about it. It simply couldn’t be helped. I still-”
“YES IT CAN?!” I grabbed her hand, along with the envelope. “Don’t say that!”
“Rudy?!”
Shit, I got too emotional. I almost let it slip, that I know.
“You told me you worked at the Asuran Royal court. You had a toxin on your person that was clearly not meant for a maid. Even if you don’t tell me the details. I can still tell put two and two together, and… I’ve heard the rumors from Roxy… about the royal courts… I know it’s quite… debauched.”
“Rudy, are you… angry?”
“Of course, I’m angry! Your father’s a piece of- sigh, he’s a… thing I shouldn’t say to you. He’s a lot of things, but most importantly, he’s undeserving of your affections.”
She places her hand on my cheek, tilting my face to look her in the eye. “Thank you,” she smiles.
Her hand is warm. Wait-
“For what? I’m just lashing out at your pops.”
“Even so, thank you. It’s been forever since someone… no, never mind,” she bends down and kisses me on the cheek.
“Hah?” She catches me by surprise. My face feels warmer. A blush present.
“I’m still sending my money back home,” she confesses.
I frown.
“My mother… she sometimes sends notes back you know, when I send money. The other day she sent a note about her struggles. Apparently father got in a fight with one of his disciples recently, and it caused her quite a few headaches. He can be quite stubborn. Mother said she was going to do her best to cool him off, but she’ll have to be increasingly discreet about it. Rudeus,” she looked at me kindly. “When you love someone, you want to take care of them, even if they don’t always want to be taken care of in return. People are quite stubborn.”
“You’re not being fair.”
“Master Rudeus, is correct, but I am stubborn as well,” she retrieved the envelope from my hand. “As master, Rudeus is in a foul mood. I’ll do anything you want for tonight.”
“Anything I…”
My body is ready!
I say mentally, but… not really. I don’t want to get rid of all the good faith I’ve earned for one moment of pleasure. That said…
PHRASING!
Lilia, honestly…
“Well, I got this book, From The Darkness it Came, I’d like to have your feedback on it,” I said.
“You want me to… read a book?”
“Well, I want to read it together with you, preferably in the next healing seccion, but yeah.”
Her shoulders start shaking.
“…pff…pfha, ha ha, I’m sorry… I’m sorry master Rudeus, I didn’t mean to laugh, it’s just… just, the young master is so adorable,” she gathers herself, and straightens her apron, as she gets forth to a standing position, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “I would have thought Rudy would have asked for a kiss,” she smiled, “who would have thought Rudy could be so pure.”
Pure am I?
“It’s not like that,” I get closer to her, under her shadow. “You’re just too important to me. I definitely want to steal your lips, but… I don’t want to hurt you while doing it. I care about you too much to do that. Sooo… I’ll wait.” I looked her dead in the eye. “The day I take your lips, is the day I have your heart,” I stared deep into her violet eyes.
So ethereal, so beautiful.
If you knew how much I want you, you’d probably run scared.
“Look forward to it… Lily.”
“I-I see, I-I have to hurry before the letter carrier leaves,” she scurries away. Tripping once as she does so.
A blushing Lilia is good too.
“If I were a lesser man… I would have kissed you, right then and there,” I muttered into the wind.
///
Paul [pov]
Why is it that everything is so simple when everything is over, but during the actual situation you forget what you’re supposed to do. It has been an awkward series of days.
At least for me.
After that night’s meal, I had time to mull it over, and decide on how to approach the situation. Finally, landing with a middle ground approach, I apologized, but without undoing his punishment. Instead, I decreased it from a couple of weeks to only four days. My wife even added the ‘suggestion,’ of having him help her in the garden.
Of Course dear, just remember it’s still a punishment, okay?
Honestly, it was kind of a lackluster event. Considering how much Rudy resembles me I half expected him to lash out, yell, or kick something, but he was strangely compliant. He almost looked happy.
Well, better for me.
Speaking of odd behavior…
I take a peek at her.
Lilia seems a little different lately. She’s not as active as she was the other day, but there's still something off about her, something I can’t quite put my finger on. Yet… familiar…
“It’s a man,” Zenith says.
“What is?”
“What’s gotten her in such a good mood lately, she’s definitely gotten herself a man.”
“She doesn’t look ‘that’ different to me,” I stated.
She’s walking with an extra pep in her step, but finding a man? Isn’t that a little too much? Where would she even get a man from? The few times she leaves the household has been housework related, with the exception of some traveling merchants. Did she find a husband through the mail?
“That's because you're looking in all the wrong places,” she frowns.
I resent that. There's no way you know I've been stealing glances. I made sure you’re not there when I do it. Most of the time.
Taking a peek… I notice Lilia holding a book to her chest while debating passionately with Rudy as Rudy with equal passion, argued right back. I wonder when my son got so attached to the maid. In any case, it looked like I had nothing to worry about if the smile on his face is anything to go by.
Noticing them as well, a smug smile starts growing on Zenith's face, and she decides to stalk them. Literally. Creeping behind them as slowly as she possibly can, she starts stalking them, moving carefully with her hands outstretched like she’s ready to grab something, and…
“Lilia!” Pouncing on Lillia. Wrapping her hands under her breasts, she cuddles her way up to her, rubbing her cheek lovingly against hers, as she showers her with all her affection.
“Ms.Greyrat…”
“Let me in too. You two are hogging up all the fun. What are you two talking about?” She says, resting her chin on her shoulder.
“Miss Zenith, it’s nothing like that. Rudy and I are just talking about this story we’re reading-”
“Sounds fun! Let me join!”
“It’s a story about spirits… a horror story…”
“...”
She freezes at that. She doesn’t like horror stories.
Taking one good long look at the book in Lilia’s hands, she jumps aways as swiftly as she came, like a cat out of water. “A-ah, really… wow… that’s interesting, um…” She looks back at me.
Yes, dear, I know…
“Hey dear, can you find my sword for me, I forgot where I put it?” I offered her a way out. That’s a lie, it’s still in the same spot, but they'll never know.
“Right! I’ll go find it right away dear,” she dashes back home.
As Zenith made her way back I tried my hand at joining the book patrol. Taking a peek at the book in Lilia’s hand, it’s titled; ‘From The Darkness Whence it Came.’
…I have no idea what that is…
It’s funny, Zenith might be a cleric, but she has a particular dislike for spirits and the like, as well as spiders, or anything above six legs. It couldn’t be helped. There was an incident once where we were stuck in a cavern, and had to deal with those kinds of things, until we found the exit.
A whole three days later.
At the very least it doesn’t sound like that story has spiders in it. Probably.
“...I guess mom doesn’t like horror stories.”
“Depends on the monster. Does yours at least die in the end?” I asked.
“Not in this one,” Rudy says.
“Then it’s probably best she went home,” I admit.
“Sooo, what are you two on about anyway?”
“Master Rudy, and I were simply discussing my book, and whether the main character was an idiot,” Lilia said.
“Well, to be fair, he kind of had to be. If he wasn’t an idiot, then the plot can’t happen-but that’s no excuse! The author should just get more creative with his kills or stalking.”
“But it’s only because he’s an idiot that the story is able to proceed in the first place. If he didn’t break the seal, the plot couldn’t have started,” Lilia defended.
“Ok, I’ll concede that one- But!” He points out. literally, pointing his finger, to Lilia, “that doesn’t justify all his other, dumb events at escaping. I can forgive a little stupid, I can’t forget a lot of stupid.”
“I suppose master Rudues can do better.”
“Well…”
I suddenly regret asking.
Lilia, and Rudy, completely lost in their own world, continue talking about their story, completely forgetting about me right next to them.
Is it too late to join my wife inside?
I’ve honestly lost all interest in what they're talking about, and am just picking up every other word at this point.
“Hmm, I see…”
I don’t. Why am I here anyway?
Oh right! The punishment thing, and… that topic… Well, best not let old wounds fester.
“Interesting story. Anyways, Rudy, are you planning to meet Sylphy later today?”
Earning a raised eyebrow, my son asks. “Yes… she is my friend. My grounding is over, right?”
“Yes yes, it’s just there's probably a few things you should-” Actually, wait a minute, I don’t think he quite knows the situation exactly. “Sorry, just curious. Laws and Alice already know you didn’t do anything with bad intentions, but try to avoid going inside their home… I don’t think Sylphy’s dad likes you very much.”
He scratches his cheek with a finger. “Yeah… I go that,” he shakes his head, “doesn’t matter though, I’m gonna knock on Sylphy’s window, and invite her out to play.”
“…”
I wonder if I should be concerned that he just admitted to sneaking into a girls bedroom, and sneaking her out of her house, as a matter of fact, and without an ounce of shame.
I turn my head to Lilia, who just shrugs in response. I suppose as the one who mingles with him the most, she is already used to it, but still…
I’ll have that talk later, if it comes down to it, maybe Lilia could give me some ideas.
“Hahh… alright, don’t be too long, and nothing too debilitating, got it?”
“Got it.” He rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m not an idiot. I’m going to teach Sylphy some proper exercises, and we’re going to take things slow, bye bye,” he turns towards Lilia. “See you later Lilia.”
“See you soon master Rudeus,” she says, as he runs down the road.
It’s nice to be young. I do hope he was talking about exercises when he was talking about taking things slow. It’s always so hard to talk with him.
Watching my son go down the road, I turn to Lilia, ready to ask her for some advice, “Lilia-”
And then the words get stuck in my throat.
As I stand there, in the corner of her eye, and away from her view, I see… her as I’ve never seen her before.
No… that’s not right. She looks… familiar.
Standing with the sun rays to her back, her body is enveloped in a halo of light. Radiating like the sun, the world stands still, and for a moment I do too, forgetting to breathe. Her hair flows in the wind, like waves of red. Full of vigor and energy it’s crimson under the sun, but beyond that, I see… I see a ghost of a smile upon her face. I see a beautiful woman.
That smile… How long has it been since I’ve seen her smile like that?
It’s only for a minute, but… I’m captivated by her.
“...Beautiful…” I whisper.
It’s For a minute, but… I see the ghost of her previous self as her figure overlaps with her now. Standing before me is that girl all grown up. The idol from my dojo days is standing right next to me, and… she’s grown into a beautiful woman.
How did I not notice? When did she get this beautiful? No wait- she’s always been this beautiful, nothing has changed. Yet… why does she look so different? She just smiling, but she’s-
‘It’s a man,’ my wife’s words echo in my ear.
I feel like I ate something sour.
“Paul?” Lilia calls out to me, breaking my train of thought. From the look of her face, she didn’t notice that I was talking about her specifically, so I’ll just go with it.
“It-It’s a beautiful day isn’t it? I hope my son enjoys it.”
“Indeed Paul.”
“Lilia…”
What has you so happy these days?
The question almost escapes my lips. I choke it down.
I want to know the answer, but I also get a nasty feeling just imagining her answer. All smiles… while talking about another man.
Whatever. Let's go back to what I came here for. “Do you think I should teach Rudy how to treat girls?”
She raised a brow at that. Closing her eyes and crossing her arms, she thinks about it for a good while before opening speaking, “...I think Rudy knows how to treat a lady just fine.”
“Maybe a little too fine…” I grumbled.
“Paul?”
“I mean, you heard about him and Sylphiette right? At this rate he might ‘accidentally,’ find himself married before the age of 10. That or an angry father is going to pierce him full of arrows,” I told her.
“Master Rudeus is a saint level mage… but I understand your point. Although, I think Master Paul’s fears are unwarranted.”
“Hmm… you’d think so? Lilia, did you know that elves are really sensitive to magic?”
“Such things are common knowledge.”
“Riiight, and Rudy’s spell is very personal.”
“Yes, but-”
“And Sylphy was in a very sensitive state, not to mention healing magic has an invigorating effect on a person,” I turned towards her, “and he was massaging her.”
“...”
“Yeah… Rudy knows how to treat a girl alright, and that’s the problem,” I sigh. “At this rate he’s going to be teaching that girl more than just magic. Honestly, where does he get it from?”
“Yes, I wonder,” Lilia says, in a monotone voice, staring straight into the horizon. “It’s not like a certain swordsman gropes his wife every opportunity he gets.”
“Hey! That’s not right, I’m an adult. Groping my wife’s butt is my duty. It’s in my vows!”
Not specifically… but heavily implied.
“And he’s still too young. I didn’t start grabbing girls' butts until…”
Now that I think about it I was…
“Yes sir Paul… how old were you?”
“Okay never mind that. Point stands. Besides, what I’m getting at is that he rubbed a young, tired, sensitive, elven girl’s butt. Elven! And he doesn’t even know he’s doing it.”
“Is the matter that she’s an elf important?”
“Very!”
She frowns.
“Sen-si-tive,” I reiterated. “Elf~”
I paused, giving her a moment to think about it.
Tilting her head, Lilia is confused, before her eyes go wide, and she finally realizes where I’m getting at.
“Ah… I see…”
Elves are naturally sensitive to mana. Prodigious young mages more so. Hell, she was injured on top of that. Combine these factors, as well as Rudy’s magic being invasive, and you get, well… an experience that only adults should experience. That’s not even taking into account the slightly euphoric effects of healing magic.
Knowing my son, he probably didn’t take it that far, but… it was me during his age…
Well, at least it won’t happen again. Probably.
“That said… I’m still thinking of ignoring it. No matter how I see it, letting Rudy be aware of his ‘ability,’ can only end horrible, for everyone, especially me.”
Lord knows, If someone had told me I could excite women with but a flick of my finger, I would have flicked everywhere.
“If I tell him what he did, he might actually go out of his way to do it on purpose, and I’m not ready to open up that chest. Zenith would kill me if she found out I was the reason our son was grabbing girl’s butts,” I frowned, looking in the horizon.
“Rudeus isn’t like that.”
“Yet.” I corrected. “He isn’t like that yet.”
And hopefully it’ll stay like that. At least for another six years.
“I… with all due respect… sir, I don’t think you should be talking about your own son in such a manner… sir…”
“Huh?” I looked at her, a frown on her face.
Did I say something wrong?
“It’s not like I’m saying anything bad. It’s just boys being boys, when he reaches a certain age, he’s going to get a little grabby too. I’m just saying be ready when he starts showing signs.”
“...”
“Don’t worry, it’ll probably be a while before he’s doing some skirt flipping. At the very least, Sylphy doesn’t seem to own any skirts, so I won’t have to open that forbidden chest for a while.”
I’ll tell him about girls when he’s twelve? Yeah, twelve sounds good.
“I see…” she looks off in the distance, grabbing her rear and rubbing it.
Nice~
But I don’t think you have anything to worry about. It’ll be at least six more years before my son’s grabby paws, go in your direction, speaking of which…
“How’s yours by the way?” I asked.
“Pardon?”
In the end I couldn't ignore it. The image of someone's grabby paws coming after my maid. I needed to know. For some reason it annoys me.
“Um… skirt chasing… has anyone been chasing you? Zenith has this crazy idea that you’ve gotten a man.” It’s not the question I set out to find, but Zenith’s words are still rattling inside my mind.
“That’s absurd… I have… no such thing.” Lilia looks at the horizon with a melancholic look on her face. “Yeah… I do not. Right now, my life is you, lady Zenith… and Rudy. My life is complete. I don’t need anything else… I don’t…”
“I see.”
Of course there was no man. Lilia isn’t the wooing type, I guess all the excitement must have been over her new book.
Must be a real special book.
“Right! Nothing wrong with enjoying the present. Lilia is like family, there's nothing wrong with family enjoying family’s company! Ha ha, I’m sure Rudy would be hurt if he found out his maid got stolen away by some traveling vagabond.”
“Rudy is very important to me, I wouldn’t hurt him…” She says gloomily.
She doesn’t have a man, but she could.
Rudy is six years old, and Zenith enjoys housework. For all intents and purposes we don’t really need a maid, and she could leave at any moment. But I don’t want that.
I get closer to her.
“You know, no one is ever going to kick you out, you’re our precious maid… and, although I hate to say it,” I rub the back of my head. “If you ever want to go off and start your own family, me and Zenith would support you. I’m sure you would make some guy really happy, and have a big happy family. You could have a kid like Rudy in no time.”
“Someone like Rudy… that doesn’t sound so bad…”
“Yeah, he’d be very lucky. You could even live in this village, and we’d come and visit. And Zenith, and you could set up playdates ha ha,” I place a hand on her shoulder. “Definitely, he would be lucky,” I caress her back. “The man that holds you.”
That sad look on her doesn’t suit her. I want to see that smile again.
She turns to me, and smiles… but it’s hollow. It’s not the one I want.
As I stand looking at her, my hand is still on her back, but she hasn’t said a thing.
That’s right. When we were young I used to try to lay my hands on her like this, but before I could reach for the good stuff she would slap my hand away everytime.
She isn’t doing that right now.
“…”
…she’s gotten herself a man…
I hate it.
In my panic… or fervor… I reach lower, going down, reaching her lower back, and getting closer…
“P-Paul?”
We still for a second, and I am now holding her in one arm. While looking into each other’s eyes, both of us a little shocked; her more so. I find myself in a position where I have one arm around her, hand above her wait, and closer, intimately so.
But I didn’t get rejected… so I reach lower. Lilia’s butt is now in one of hands.
“...soft,” in a moment of desire I started feeling her. The situation is a little awkward, but she’s not stopping me.
I keep going, wrapping her in my arms. The butt I held years ago is back in my hands, and the hand that would slap me away isn’t.
She doesn’t have a man, she doesn’t… but she could.
No. not now, not someday, not ever. Lilia is mine. She is my maid, get your own.
Throwing caution to the wind, I start fondling her butt, and see how much I could get away with.
“So soft…” I whisper. I wonder what it looks like underneath. Keeping one of my hands cupped on her cheek, I let the other roam across the side, finding the seam where I could put a hand through, and trying to part her dress.
“M-master Paul…” she is short of breath, “p-please stop…” she fidgets.
Even if you say that… you don’t really sound like you mean it… I remember how painful your rejections feel when you start swinging, and… you’re not even pushing me.
“Don’t worry… it’s just a touch,” I want to touch her skin directly.
As I was touching her, our bodies are close, and I can now inhale her scent. Feeling her soft rear, her scent, her voice, I’m taken back to my youth, back when I first wanted her. She was unobtainable back then. The dojo’s Idol. And now she’s here.
She’s always been beautiful.
This is mine.
I thought as I squeezed her butt. My second hand reaching for the seam.
I…I want her.
Smack.
Lilia slapped my hand, and I’m forced to stop.
“Z-Zenith… Zenith is still at home,” she uttered.
And with that, I awoke from my dreaming.
Zenith… that’s right, Zenith is home… I’m married now.
“R-right,” I stop before things become dangerous. Lilia breaking free from my grasp, and stepping away from me. Looking away from me, and adjusting her dress.
Ah… whoops.
It wouldn’t be funny if Zenith came out right now and saw me. Forget being afraid of horror stories, she would create one right now.
That was a close one.
“Sorry, I…”
“It-It’s fine… it was a moment of weakness… I won’t say a thing… I have laundry to clean. I’ll take my leave Sir Paul,” adjusting her close she bows and walks away, her face firm, betraying her earlier panicked look.
“…”
I look at my hand.
“So close…”
Thinking back on it, the very first butts I grabbed were the maid’s butts around my house when I was growing up.
Back when I was five years old…
Yeah… I think I’ll hold off on telling him.
Less his grabby paws start reaching for the nearest skirts around. Lord knows how easy it is for Greyrat man to lose control.
…
My blood is still boiling. I’m all fired up, and need to release it. Turning the way Lilia left, I feel a little guilty, but… I’m still very aroused.
I need to cut loose.
Turning in the opposite direction, I remembered what she just said, and remembered that Zenith is at home. All alone… with no one around… and with Lilia and Rudy gone... meaning: we’d have the house all to ourselves
I dashed home. Ready for some evening fun. It’s been a while since we’ve done it during the day.
As I'm dashing away, I had only one thought in mind;
I wonder if I could talk her into some naked apron play?
///