Chapter 103: Chapter 103
"..."
I stayed frozen in place.
With no intention to show a reaction, I merely watched him place his mouth on top of my chin as he closed his eyes with shameless delight to do so.
"Haahh... Pure Sister... How I wish..." — He mumbled, letting his ashy hair fall on my chin as he lowered his head as if he was tired.
His last words were incomprehensible by the way he muttered them, which... Even though I didn’t hear them... It sent an unpleasant void through my throat to fall on my chest. The intuition that what he had uttered was an atrocity... I know it will stay for a while in the form of this anxious hole it opened just now.
*******
... Clank...
The extremely delicate sound of the door to his sister’s chambers was enormously different to the one made when he opened them tonight.
Paul’s heart was beating fast, even faster than it usually does whenever he visits his precious sister.
This time, Marianne had touched him with great concern for his well-being... At least... That is how Paul perceived it.
He felt struck by her sudden touch, so soft and tender that the trace freed him to ask her without restraint what he wanted to know with shredding grief.
Why go to the man he told her was dangerous... And leave him, her only ally, the only one who truly appreciated the value of her existence behind... All alone in this sickening Castle... Away from her...
Yet, her words were clear saviours with their honesty, pulling him up from the distressing circumstances.
— I also want to stay with you —
Those words were never said, however... They were said in Paul’s reality.
It was bliss for the Young Master to hear her say that with the kind loving expression his Sister always portrayed when they were on their own.
She was a breath of divine wind that enveloped his existence with delicate breezes, which always purified his upset mood to leave him on a dreamy levitation.
"Lovely Sister..." — Paul whispered at the door, recalling how his arm had wrapped her in an affectionate embrace.
"...."
Catching a glance at his hand on the door, he watched it with detention and flipped it to watch the red palm gradually heating up as it still felt the shape of her thin waist.
The slight touch he always got to do in his visits was mindblowing. His soul would forever be tamed by these little chances he stole by force in the torturous games played on his Marianne.
Yet, this time... Something was different. The wish he had murmured in the presence of the young girl... Kept swirling chaotically in his already disrupted psyche.
"..... Marianne...."
After a few seconds of blankly staring at the hand in front of him... He repeated his wish... In another whisper filled with desire and also..... An odd remorse.
".... I... How I wish... To taint you, Marianne..."
His hand came to cover his lips, receiving the unpardonable kiss... He so madly covets to give to the young girl on the other side of the sturdy door.
*******
’...’
".. . ..... .. ... ."
’..... Are you alright, Anne?’ — Knowing it was a stupid question to ask, I still did so she could manifest the fear without worry now.
The one-sided shudder our body was battling to suppress was so strong... That if I weren’t sharing this body with her, I would have thought she wasn’t even trying to hide the uncontrollable tremble and traumatic twitching jumps it was displaying.
This always happened. From the very first time I took the punishment in her place, Marianne’s soul’s presence would decrease its strength and somehow hide within the deepest parts of her body.
Although the body’s condition didn’t change much from how it is when her soul manifests as usual... It was left all on my hands during these times, truly leaving me to take it all.
I was able to notice these facts over the course of these last two months.
Having daily encounters with Paul, helped me discover these little details about Marianne. Yet, although she didn’t receive the strikes I got... I believe she still could hear it all.
We both live in her body... So how can she shut herself completely from everything we are going through?... That’s just not possible.
Even though I had thought this time’s encounter had gone way better than I had imagined... The reaction brought with the liberation my question caused... Contradicted such belief entirely.
"!..h!?..!."
Bitter saliva started to stream down my mouth as my stomach contracted in chaotic convulsions, robbing us of the little strength we had to support our barely seating position... Letting us fall flat on the floor, frozen, shivering erratically and gasping for air... as bile flowed out as if it were the most natural thing from the side of our dry lips...
So... Dry... And cracked... I felt our chest shrink with sadness, panic and helplessness...
My girl has had too much today.
Our eyes were struggling to keep open... So I closed them before speaking to her.
’... Ngh... Yes.. I know you’re not alright, Marianne..... But... Look... I’m fine..... See? Do you feel me being scared?’
". .."
’That’s right, I’m not. So why would you feel this much guilt? You may think I don’t pay much attention... But cutie... I can tell these reactions...huck!..ugh.. Hahah... Are not... Only because you are scared of him...’
".... .." — A steadier silence as response finally came.
Marianne had taken reins of her panic, enough to not let our body fall into more shock.
’... I know you are very kind, Anne..... But... You don’t need to be kind to me. I don’t need it.’ — I told her with a calm expression in my head.
"—"
Feeling how her existence halted to what I told her, I smiled softly and added.
’This much won’t hurt me. So don’t waste your kindness feeling bad for letting me handle Paul..... If I ever want to see your kindness... Hihihi...’
Giggling by how the cringe words came spontaneously in my head without even searching their romantic vibe, I cheerfully told her what they were as I brought our hands together, entangling our limping fingers with each other as well as I could to grab hold of her in some other way.
’Please... Grant it upon me... with another dance, precious Lady.... Hah..ha..... I want to have fun as we dance again... Darling.’
The hand, tightening its hold, leaving behind the tremors... all on its own... Transmitted her agreement as tears of relief made their path over our nose bridge to fall on the near floor.
Feeling how a load also left my lower body... A warm and heavy load... Overflowed tracing my crotch... Staining me, and making me recall a sensation I hate.
Yet... Oddly enough..... It felt incredibly nice this time.
’We made it.... He didn’t..... Saw our bleeding..... So... We are safe Anne... We are safe now...’
Staying on the floor we felt relief to know our current state wasn’t discovered. Although Marianne’s relief was one that came from avoiding the shame... Mine came from avoiding the only thing that could scare me.
Seeing that man reflected on Paul... The thought of him acting as he did back then... That was the only thing that turned my blood cold in fright by just thinking about it.
I don’t want... To revive that.
And also... I don’t want Anne... To go through what I did.
For a while, we let the ease run through our stiff body, trying to regain enough strength to stand up from the familiar chill the ground under us was sending. A chill unfamiliar to Anne, but too craved into me to forget.
Our breathing became peaceful soon and, still with our eyes closed to enhance the appeasing sensation of the steady air travelling our lungs... I spoke in the quiet stillness surrounding us... Softly, low and rough... The words were spoken with our chapped lips.
".. Le–t’s.... stAnd up..... SWe.eT...art..."
With great difficulty, our voice died right after the barely spoken words came out. I made an attempt to say more, yet, our lips did not even part this time.
It was understandable. After all that had happened today... Being able to make those gasping words come out was in itself a miracle.
’... No matter... we’ve done enough today, Anne. We should... Siiiiigh...Clean this up and go to sleep...’ — Catching sight of the traces we left on the floor, my lazy self sighed in a whining.
I was already tired enough as it is, but now I also need to clean those... smudges on the ground.
However, something else took my attention right after I told Marianne our plans before going to bed.
"...??" — A sensation that conveyed her difficulty to comprehend my intention, was sent within her silence.
I didn’t want to accept it for a second, and so, in hopes for my idea to be proven wrong, I asked, just in case.
’You... Marianne... You’re not... wondering about why WE should clean this, right? You’re not... Feeling curious as to WHY I said we should clean this... right...?’
"..." — Now... Her silence was a straight "that’s right" kind of message. A serious one, at that.
This child.....
That’s right hahaha..... Why would Marianne, a daughter of a powerful Duke, who has servants to do anything for her..... Ever do a thing as low as to clean after herself??
’... I... I can’t believe I forgot you’re a young Lady, Marianne...’
Troubled, I facepalmed my inner self in an incredulous laugh. My girl... Has almost left me speechless this time.